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Ranking the Most NFL-Ready Wisconsin Prospects
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- Ranking the Most NFL-Ready Wisconsin Prospects
Wisconsin defensive lineman Mason Reiger. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Despite Wisconsin football 's dismal 2025 season, the Badgers are primed to send a few players into the NFL shortly.
Yes, the Badgers are staring down their worst showing at the NFL Draft in almost two decades , but even if just one name gets called in Pittsburgh , several Wisconsin players should have a shot to make rosters as un-drafted free agents.
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With the NFL Draft less than a week out, here's the top three most NFL-ready prospects the Badgers currently boast:
1. EDGE Mason Reiger
Wisconsin defensive lineman Mason Reiger. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
There's little debate about this one. Reiger is universally considered the Badgers' best prospect, and it's not particularly close. He notched 32 total tackles, five sacks and one pass-breakup last fall, but the number that really showcases his NFL ability is the whopping 45 pressures he created.
Obviously, NFL talent evaluators would like to see Reiger turn that strong pressure rate into more sacks, but the outside linebacker's ability to consistently work his way into the backfield is where the appeal lies. He has good size on the edge at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, but he's not the strongest or longest edge defender. Still, he has a knack for shedding blocks, a trait that's confirmed by both his pressure numbers and the eye test.
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2. Wide Receiver Vinny Anthony
Wisconsin wideout Vinny Anthony. | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images
There's some debate as to how Anthony stacks up as an NFL talent, but there's a general consensus that he's the No. 2 Wisconsin prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Anthony's game is undoubtably raw, some of which I wholeheartedly believe can be attributed to the Badgers' atrocious passing game for the entirety of his career. He's not a nuanced route-runner and his strength (or lack thereof) doesn't allow him to proficiently block on the perimeter or disengage from big, physical corners who play press coverage at the line of scrimmage.
Nonetheless, the wideout possesses some enticing traits. His speed is obviously up there, but it's less so his short-area quickness and more his ability to take the top off defenses that should have NFL general managers intrigued. Anthony won't win many 50/50 balls, but he does have strong hands overall and can make a variety of tough catches. There's a lot of projection here with Anthony, but some intriguing ability as well.
3. Austin Brown , Safety
Wisconsin Badgers safety Austin Brown. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
On paper, Brown's career in Madison was nothing particularly special. He totaled 119 tackles, two sacks and eight pass-breakups across four seasons. But the safety has a few things going for him that should at least get him a shot at a rookie minicamp.
Brown is an athletic freak who never quite reached his potential at Wisconsin. Despite his modest numbers, Brown boasts top-tier athleticism. The safety ran a 4.47 40-yard dash, benched pressed 20 reps and notched a 43'' vertical at the Badgers' pro day. That kind of testing should have some NFL teams at least moderately curious.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/wisconsin as Ranking the Most NFL-Ready Wisconsin Prospects .
