Wisconsin Badgers tight end Lance Mason celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Middle Tennessee State. Photo credit: Dane Sheehan.

The Wisconsin football program’s most impactful spring transfer portal addition from this past offseason is taking the next step in his career.

Lance Mason, the tight end that Wisconsin’s staff added after Tanner Koziol’s abrupt departure during spring practice, announced his intention to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft on Dec. 28, ending a college journey that started at Missouri State and culminated in a productive final season in Madison.

“First and foremost, I want to thank God for blessing me with the opportunity and ability to play the game that I love, and allowing me to compete all 4 years of my college career injury-free,” Mason wrote. “I want to thank all my coaches from Rockwall-Heath High School, Missouri State and Wisconsin who developed me into the player and person I am today. I am incredibly grateful to my family and friends for their continuous support throughout this journey.

“Lastly, thank you to all my teammates for the lifelong friendships and memories. My college career has come to an end, but with great excitement, I am happy to announce that I will be declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft.”

Mason arrived at Wisconsin with expectations that were measured but still relatively high. In Jeff Grimes’ offense, tight ends were always going to be involved, especially with the Badgers leaning into two-tight-end sets. Still, in fall camp, Mason looked like a solid piece rather than a focal point.

That changed quickly.

When Tucker Ashcraft suffered a lower-body injury during fall camp, the door opened wider for the senior. Mason didn’t hesitate. He stepped into a larger role and became one of Wisconsin’s most reliable receiving options in an offense that never found any real consistency or identity.

The production followed.

Mason appeared in 12 games and recorded a reception in each of his final eight. His breakout performance came against Middle Tennessee State, where he hauled in seven catches for 102 yards and a touchdown. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound tight end followed that with a score against Maryland, then added touchdowns later in the season against Oregon and Indiana.

By season’s end, Mason led the football team with 398 receiving yards and four touchdowns, giving Wisconsin its most dependable tight end presence since Jake Ferguson moved on to the NFL. His consistency and versatility earned him Second-Team All-Big Ten honors from league coaches, the highest individual recognition for a Badgers tight end since 2021.

The workload helps underline just how much Wisconsin leaned on him.

Mason logged 509 total offensive snaps on the season, functioning as both a featured target at times (team-high 49 targets) and a reliable piece in the run game. According to Pro Football Focus, he finished with a 66.1 overall offensive grade, including a strong 73.8 mark as a pass catcher and a 63.0 grade as a run blocker. It wasn’t just about volume. He was asked to do real tight end work in an “NFL-style offense,” and he held up.

There was a brief period during which it was reported that Mason was seeking to pursue another season of eligibility. Ultimately, the decision made sense. He did what Wisconsin needed him to do. He provided stability. He produced. And he put quality film together in a pro-style role.

Whether this definitively closes the door on that possibility remains unclear, but either way, Wisconsin now finds itself facing another rebuild at tight end. Ashcraft intends to enter the transfer portal, Jackson Acker has exhausted his eligibility, and while Grant Stec and Emmett Bork remain intriguing young pieces, they’re still at a stage where continued development is likely needed before they’re asked to shoulder significant responsibility.

That reality means Nate Letton’s room will once again need to be overhauled, in terms of experience and immediate production, as the Badgers look to repair a position group that will need scholarship bodies and quality competition.

For a program expected to navigate plenty of turnover this offseason, Mason’s one-year stint is a reminder of what the transfer portal can look like when it works. A veteran from a lower level finds the right fit at a program that had snaps to offer, the team finds a much-needed answer, and the player takes advantage of the opportunity to grow and produce.

Now, Mason turns the page, heading into the NFL Draft process after delivering what Wisconsin hoped for when it made the call last spring.

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Wisconsin Badgers tight end Lance Mason…