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After delay, Wisconsin Badgers sign second transfer portal QB and his brother

The Wisconsin Badgers finally signed their second transfer portal quarterback after a delay that could be connected to the team also bringing in his brother.
Lorin Cox|
Louisville Cardinals quarterback Deuce Adams (13) officially signed with the Wisconsin Badgers in the transfer portal.
Louisville Cardinals quarterback Deuce Adams (13) officially signed with the Wisconsin Badgers in the transfer portal. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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Former Louisville quarterback Deuce Adams was mysteriously missing from the Wisconsin Badgers official announcement of their transfer portal class.

That mystery ended Friday when the team announced his official signing, and they also revealed a possible reason for the delay.

Shortly after Deuce Adams was announced, the Badgers also announced the signing of former Louisville wide receiver Eli Adams, his brother.

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No one had publicly reported that Wisconsin was pursuing Eli in the transfer portal up until that point.

Eli was an unranked recruit in the 2024 class, and he appeared in only one game across his two seasons with the Cardinals.

It looks as though Deuce's signing could have been contingent on Eli getting to come with him, and that may have contributed to the delay in the backup quarterback's arrival.

Deuce will compete with redshirt freshman Carter Smith to be the No. 2 option behind new starter Colton Joseph, who transferred in from Old Dominion.

Louisville Cardinals quarterback Deuce Adams (13) throws the ball against SMU at Gerald J. Ford Stadium.
Louisville Cardinals quarterback Deuce Adams (13) throws the ball against SMU at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Related: Where new Wisconsin Badgers starter Colton Joseph ranks among this year's transfer portal QBs

Last year's top backup, Danny O'Neil, is expected to miss much of the season with the Achilles injury he suffered this past fall.

Deuce Adams played in six games this season, with one start against SMU. He completed 12-of-17 passes for 94 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in the loss.

Coming out of high school, he was ranked as a Top 30 quarterback in the country by both ESPN and Rivals, He has three years of eligibility remaining on a Wisconsin team that has had to turn to backup quarterbacks in each of Luke Fickell's three seasons.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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