Wisconsin football lands West Virginia transfer DL Hammond Russell IV
Former West Virginia defensive lineman Hammond Russell IV has committed to the Wisconsin Badgers through the transfer portal.
The Wisconsin football program continued its defensive line rebuild through the transfer portal, adding another experienced body to a room that needed both depth and playable scholarship numbers.
Former West Virginia defensive lineman Hammond Russell IV has committed to the Badgers, giving Wisconsin a physically mature interior defender with a track record of rotational production and the kind of frame that fits what the coaching staff wants to deploy up front.
“1000% committed,” Russell wrote.
Russell checks in at 6-foot-3, 312 pounds and hails from Dublin (OH.), where he played his high school football at Dublin Coffman. He arrives after appearing in 36 career games with the Mountaineers, bringing both experience and familiarity with the demands of Power Four football.
Let’s start with the most recent snapshot.
During the 2025 season, Russell appeared in nine games (five starts) for West Virginia and finished with 13 total tackles (six solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, a forced fumble, and three pressures across 226 snaps.
According to Pro Football Focus, he posted a 63.7 overall defensive grade, including a 62.7 mark as a run defender, a 69.7 tackling grade, and a 61.4 pass-rushing grade. The production didn’t jump off the page, but it was steady, physical, and role-specific, which is what the Badgers need.
Zooming out, the career arc matters.
Russell redshirted in 2022 before becoming a rotational contributor over the next three seasons at West Virginia. Across 36 career games, he totaled 40 tackles (17 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and 17 total pressures. He’s been part of a rotation, not a centerpiece, which is exactly why this addition makes sense in context.
Because context is everything here.
Wisconsin is rebuilding its defensive line room after losing a considerable amount of experience and production. Jay’Viar Suggs, Ben Barten, Brandon Lane, and Parker Petersen are all gone, forcing the staff to add both depth and rotation pieces. The Badgers bring back Dillan Johnson and Nolan Vils, and after a little bit of uncertainty, Charles Perkins is also expected to return. Wisconsin’s staff has already added Buffalo transfer Junior Poyser, and Russell now joins that mix as another interior option.
Under defensive line coach E.J. Whitlow, the emphasis has been clear: get enough big bodies in the room to sustain a rotation and keep players fresh. Wisconsin wants to play five or six defensive linemen consistently, keep snap counts manageable, and maintain physicality over four quarters to wear down opponents. Russell fits that vision. He’s not being asked to be an anchor of the defensive line. He’s being asked to be part of a group that can hold up, rotate, and stay disruptive late in games.
This pickup isn’t about getting a game-wrecker. It’s about functionality.
Russell gives Wisconsin another experienced interior defender who understands his role, has played meaningful Power Four snaps, and can help a room that desperately needed reinforcements. As the Badgers continue reshaping the front seven, this move fits the broader theme of the offseason: stack playable bodies, raise the floor, and let competition sort out the rest.
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