Badgers land second commit from transfer portal

Their 2025 season just ended, but the Wisconsin Badgers are already active in the transfer portal. On Sunday, they got a commitment from JUCO transfer linebacker Taylor Schaefer, he announced.

Schaefer, a 6’4, 240-pound outside linebacker, is a Wisconsin native and had been playing at Iowa Central for the past two years. A sophomore, the Sturgeon Bay native racked up 97 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and five sacks in 2025.

He should have at least two years of eligibility remaining, which is a theme with Wisconsin’s first two commitments from the transfer portal. They also landed Grand Valley State defensive lineman Jibriel Conde earlier in the week, and he also has two years of eligibility left.

Schaefer had been a hot commodity in the portal, getting offers from schools like Wisconsin, Colorado, Purdue, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa State, Kentucky, Arkansas, and others.

He was scheduled to take visits to Minnesota, Iowa State, Kentucky, and Arkansas in addition to Wisconsin, and ultimately committed to the Badgers after his visit this past weekend.

Now, he’ll join Wisconsin’s defense next year as a part of what should be a very busy offseason for head coach Luke Fickell.