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Top Wisconsin Football UDFA Candidates After the NFL Draft
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- Top Wisconsin Football UDFA Candidates After the NFL Draft
Wisconsin safety Austin Brown. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-Imagn Images
Wisconsin football is fresh off its worst showing at the NFL Draft in nearly 50 years .
Without a single selection, the Badgers just had their lightest draft class since 1978, when they also had zero players taken.
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Still, there's enough talent coming out of Madison to where a handful of players should wind up with un-drafted free agent contracts and a fighting shot to make an NFL roster this spring and summer.
Without further ado, here's the top remaining Wisconsin prospects still on the board:
Wide Receiver Vinny Anthony
Vinny Anthony II at the Senior Bowl. | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images
It's less surprising to see Anthony passed up on in the NFL Draft, but he's a name that multiple teams should be bidding for on the UDFA Market. His track-level speed, strong hands and good character should earn him a shot to impress an NFL coaching staff, at least in a minicamp setting.
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Safety Austin Brown
Brown's production across a healthy amount of playing time at Wisconsin (129 tackles, eight PBUs, two sacks in 1,500-plus snaps) certainly leaves something to be desired. The safety was a very solid player in Madison, to be sure, but did he ever make a big impact on the defense? Not if you're just looking at statistics and splash plays.
Stilll, Brown is a physical specimen who tested off the charts at the Badgers' pro day. He ran a 4.47 40-yard dash, benched pressed 20 reps and notched a 43'' vertical - the physical tools are clearly there. That should be enough for an NFL team to take a gamble on him.
Tight End Lance Mason
Wisconsin Badgers tight end Lance Mason. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Mason was the Badgers' leading receiver last fall. Of course, that's not saying much in what was statistically the worst passing offense in the Power Four. Still, the tight end caught 30 passes for 398 yards and four touchdowns, displaying a solid mix of receiving and in-line ability, as he also logged 266 run-blocking snaps.
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Mason has good hands, a dash of wiggle in the open field and experience blocking in the trenches of the Big Ten. At the very least, he's earned himself a "camp body" role with a shot to prove he can bring more to the table.
Cornerback Ricardo Hallman
The rise and fall of Ricardo Hallman is truly a fascinating tale. He burst out onto the scene in 2023, intercepting an NCAA-leading seven passes while allowing a superb reception percentage of 50.8 percent. Fast forward to 2025: his reception percentage spiked to 67.4 and he was, quite honestly, a complete liability in coverage at times.
Still, Hallman has over 2,600 career snaps to his name and 10 career interceptions. He's smaller cornerback, and he might have to learn nickel if he gets a shot at the next level, but Hallman has enough pedigree to where he should at least earn a rookie minicamp invite.
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Defensive Lineman Ben Barten
Wisconsin Badgers defensive lineman Ben Barten. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Barten was quietly awesome for Wisconsin his last two years in Madison. The nature of his position at defensive tackle means he's not going to rack up big numbers, but the big man developed into a largely immovable object in run defense, especially in 2025.
Barten also displayed a knack for getting his hands on the ball. In 2024, he swatted five passes at the line of scrimmage, and he blocked multiple field goals last fall as well.
Barten is a legit 325 pounds and country strong on the interior of the defensive line with great ball skills for his position. There's plenty for NFL teams to work with.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/wisconsin as Top Wisconsin Football UDFA Candidates After the NFL Draft .
