Wisconsin football lands Southern Illinois transfer TE Ryan Schwendeman
Former Southern Illinois tight end Ryan Schwendeman has committed to Wisconsin after entering the transfer portal.
The Wisconsin football staff has been working hard to reshape its tight end room through the transfer portal, adding another piece into the fold.
That addition comes in the form of Ryan Schwendeman, whose commitment to the Badgers was first reported by Chris Hummer, Tom Loy, and Matt Zenitz of 247Sports after four seasons at Southern Illinois. This decision comes after fielding interest from several Power Four programs.
Schwendeman brings a different profile to the room.
The 6-foot-5, 245-pound tight end has up to two years of eligibility remaining and will join the program with a reputation as a physical, high-effort blocker in the running game who also offers functional value in the passing game. A native of O’Fallon, Missouri, he played his high school football at St. Dominic and steadily carved out a role at Southern Illinois.
Schwendeman redshirted in 2022 after appearing in three games, then took on a larger role in 2023, playing in 12 games (389 snaps) with four starts and recording six catches for 50 yards. His 2024 season was cut short by injury, but before going down, he started the first four games, played 217 offensive snaps, and totaled seven receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns.
In 2025, Schwendeman put together his most complete collegiate season, catching 15 passes for 191 yards and two scores.
Over the course of his career with the Southern Illinois Salukis, Schwendeman totaled 28 receptions for 327 yards and four touchdowns, production that helps frame how he was utilized within their offense.
The underlying metrics help explain why Wisconsin targeted him. This past season, Schwendeman logged 310 total snaps and finished with a 65.3 overall offensive grade. He posted a 65.2 grade as a receiver, a 64.6 grade as a pass blocker, and a 60.6 grade as a run blocker, a balanced profile that reflects a player comfortable doing the dirty work while still being serviceable as a target, averaging a modest 8.7 yards per target.
That versatility matters given where Wisconsin’s tight end room currently stands. The Badgers lost Lance Mason, who declared for the 2026 NFL Draft after he exhausted his eligibility, and also saw Tucker Ashcraft enter the transfer portal, creating a clear need for experience and physicality.
Wisconsin currently returns Grant Stec, Emmett Bork, and Jackson McGohan, among others. Plus, the Badgers already added Bowling Green transfer Jacob Harris to the room as more of a red-zone specific option.
Schwendeman complements that group rather than overlaps with it.
Under offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes, Wisconsin intends to use tight ends in a variety of ways. There’s a need for players who can function as reliable blockers in the run game, hold up in pass protection, and still be trusted as pass catchers near the line of scrimmage when matchups dictate. Adding competition at both of those spots has been a priority.
For Schwendeman, the move represents a chance to translate a physical, blue-collar style to the Big Ten level. For Wisconsin, it’s another targeted addition to a position group under Nate Letton that required both depth and physicality. As the Badgers continue building their offense, this is the type of move that helps round out the room rather than headline it, and those additions tend to matter more than most once the pads come on.
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