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Wisconsin Badgers add in-state LB in transfer portal who dominated at JUCO level

The Wisconsin Badgers are bringing an in-state talent back home after a few years away dominating at the junior college level, thanks to the transfer portal.
Lorin Cox|
Wisconsin defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Mike Tressel is shown during spring football practice Wednesday, April 23, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Wisconsin defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Mike Tressel is shown during spring football practice Wednesday, April 23, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Wisconsin Badgers

The Wisconsin Badgers are bringing an in-state talent back home after a few years away dominating at the junior college level.

On Sunday, transfer portal linebacker Taylor Schaefer announced he is committing to Wisconsin for next season.

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A native of Brussels, Wisconsin, he played his high school ball at Southern Door before enrolling at Iowa Central Community College in the recruiting class of 2024.

As a sophomore, he was a force to be reckoned with at the JUCO level.

The 6-foot-4, 240 pound linebacker was his conference's Defensive Player of the Year with 97 tackles, 10 TFL, five sacks and an interception.

Schaefer told 247Sports that the Badgers see him as a middle linebacker in their scheme.

He joins a Wisconsin LB corps that is set to return veteran Christian Alliegro along with standout freshmen Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano among a loaded group.

Schaefer seems to have the size and versatile skill set to potentially move around the front seven if needed.

Prior to committing to the Badgers, he took visits with Iowa State and Kentucky. He came to Madison in the middle of last week and was set to visit Arkansas this weekend.

He's the second transfer portal commitment Wisconsin landed this weekend, along with Grand Valley State defensive lineman Jibriel Conde.

The Badgers are hoping Schaefer can be as impactful as their last JUCO linebacker success story: Minnesota Vikings star Andrew Van Ginkel.

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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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