Wisconsin QB Named Among the Most Elusive Players in the Nation

The Badgers brought in one of the country's top playmakers from the transfer portal.

Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph runs with the ball during spring practice. | Christian Borman

The quarterback position has been a snake-bitten position for the Wisconsin football team since Luke Fickell arrived in Madison. Every year, he brings in a new quarterback from the transfer portal, and every year that quarterback fails to complete a season.

So this offseason, it was clear that quarterback was yet again the top priority in the transfer portal, and with the infusion of funding for the program, the Badgers were able to get one of the most dynamic players in the country in Colton Joseph.

We've all seen the highlights, especially the game against Indiana in Week 1 where he ran for 179 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the eventual national champs.

On their very first play of the season, Indiana allowed a 75-yard rushing touchdown to Old Dominion’s quarterback, Colton Joseph.

Fast-forward 4 months, Old Dominion ended up being a 10-win team and Joseph just transferred to Wisconsin where he’ll be in the same conference as IU… pic.twitter.com/1PEOIfYTZs

— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) January 5, 2026

The Badgers are hoping to see more of that on display this season, and if he can stay healthy, the odds are likely.

Joseph Among the Most Elusive Quarterbacks in College Football

Sep 13, 2025; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Old Dominion Monarchs quarterback Colton Joseph (1) runs the ball. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cody Nagel of CBS Sports dropped a list of the '10 most elusive QBs' in college football, and Colton Joseph is among them.

This list isn't just Nagel's opinion of the quarterbacks or what he sees on film. He uses five different data points that provide a balance of being explosive with their legs and how hard they are to tackle. Those metrics include sack avoidance rate, yards after contact, tackles avoided, explosive rush rate, and yards per scramble.

The Badgers' newest playmaker checked in right at the end of the list at No. 10. Here's what Nagel had to say about Joseph:

Here's a name that wasn't expected to appear on a list of the most elusive quarterbacks in college football. But a closer look at the numbers shows why Wisconsin and several others pursued the former Old Dominion star in the transfer portal.

No qualified Power Four quarterback enters the 2026 season with a higher career explosive rush rate than Colton Joseph (19.3%). Only one player in the entire FBS had more runs of at least 20 yards over the past two seasons than Joseph, who has 26 such carries in his career.

There's a bit of a trade-off with Joseph, who is also top 15 in yards after contact per rush (4.0) and yards per scramble (8.2). He may not consistently make defenders miss at the same rate as some of the quarterbacks ahead of him, but his ability to create explosive plays with his legs separates him from most quarterbacks in the country.

Cody Nagel, CBS Sports

Joseph's explosive play style fits right with what Jeff Grimes and the Wisconsin offense are looking for in a quarterback. The offensive scheme is one of the things that appealed to Joseph while he was in the portal, referencing Grimes' success with Zach Wilson at BYU, who eventually went second overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.

The Badgers are in desperate need of an offense that can put up some points and take some pressure off the defensive unit. If Joseph can continue to create explosive plays with his legs, this offense should light-years ahead of where they were just a season ago.