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Wisconsin Badgers 5 biggest misses in the transfer portal through one week of visits

The Wisconsin Badgers have landed plenty of quality players in the transfer portal, but they missed out on a few big names even after they took visits to Madison.
Lorin Cox|
Miami (OH) RedHawks defensive lineman Adam Trick (20) visited the Wisconsin Badgers in the transfer portal but committed to Texas Tech.
Miami (OH) RedHawks defensive lineman Adam Trick (20) visited the Wisconsin Badgers in the transfer portal but committed to Texas Tech. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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The Wisconsin Badgers have had a seemingly constant stream of transfer portal additions coming through Madison since the window opened January 2.

With more than 20 signings in the fold and more to come, Luke Fickell has seen overwhelming success in his transfer efforts this window.

Still, in between the exciting new players, the Badgers missed out on a few big names that took a visit to campus but decided not to play for Wisconsin.

Former Miami (OH) EDGE Adam Trick (Texas Tech)

Wisconsin's star transfer portal addition in 2025 was edge rusher Mason Reiger, and Fickell targeted Adam Trick from Miami (OH) as a player who could have a similar impact.

The Badgers saw it first hand when they hosted the RedHawks, and Trick went on to finish the year with 8.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss.

Wisconsin was on his short list for visits in the portal, along with Florida, Tennessee and Texas Tech, but he ultimately decided to sign with the Red Raiders, who may have had a larger pool of financial resources to offer him.

Former Utah State WR Braden Pegan (Utah)

The Badgers had to rebuild much of their wide receiver corps in the transfer portal, and Pegan looked to be one of their top targets.

He had just under 1,000 receiving yards this season for Utah State after spending his previous three years at UCLA.

At 6-foot-3, 210-pounds, he could have been a big-bodied play-maker on the outside to be Colton Joseph's new best friend.

He visited Madison and also Rutgers but ultimately decided to transfer to Utah.

Former New Mexico TE Dorian Thomas (Cal)

Tight end was another position of priority for Fickell on offense, and Dorian Thomas presented one of the top options in the portal.

He caught 56 passes for 560 yards and four touchdowns this season for New Mexico under head coach Jason Eck, who is a Wisconsin native and played offensive line for the Badgers in the late 1990s.

He visited Florida, UCLA, Wisconsin and California, ultimately staying out west with the Bears as his new team.

The Badgers landed two other transfer tight ends instead, but neither has the level of production Thomas has proven.

Related: Luke Fickell used hometown connection to recruit transfer TE Jacob Harris to Wisconsin Badgers

Former North Texas EDGE Ethan Day (Utah)

Ethan Day looked like a decent Plan B if Wisconsin couldn't land Trick, but Fickell couldn't come away with either one.

The edge rusher was one of the leaders of North Texas' turnaround this season, racking up 53 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks after transferring in from Wyoming.

He has the size the Badgers look for in their edge rushers at 6-foot-4, 250 pounds and would have been a nice addition to the rotation up front.

He took a visit to Madison but ultimately transferred to Utah.

Wisconsin added other portal edge rushers with upside, but they lacked some of the same pedigree as Day (and Trick) by comparison.

Former UAB WR Iverson Hooks (uncommitted as of Jan. 9)

Hooks was another nearly 1,000-yard receiver that the Badgers had a good shot at but couldn't seal the deal.

Wisconsin got his first visit once the portal opened, but he's continued to court interest and take visits with a number of other programs.

Fickell seems to have moved on to other receivers to make sure he has weapons in the fold.

Hooks caught 72 passes for 927 yards and 7 touchdowns, including seven games with over 70 receiving yards.

He looked to be one of the more dynamic options available in the portal, but the Badgers couldn't seal the deal when they had the chance.

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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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