Wisconsin football shut out of 2026 NFL Draft, players land UDFA deals
Wisconsin football had nobody selected in the 2026 NFL Draft but saw multiple players land UDFA deals, headlined by Mason Reiger.
For the first time in nearly half a century, the Wisconsin football program didn’t hear a single player’s name called during the NFL Draft.
The Badgers went without a selection across all 257 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, ending a 47-year streak of producing at least one draft pick. It was a run that dated back to 1978. In a sport where draft results often mirror the health of a program, it reflected the reality of a 4-8 season and back-to-back losing seasons under Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell.
But even in a year without a selection, there were still decisions being made. And one of the more notable ones came after the draft.
That’s where players like Wisconsin edge rusher Mason Reiger come into focus. There are always a handful of players throughout this process whose path feels less about what they were on tape and more about what they proved they could still become. Reiger fits that mold, ultimately landing with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent — a surprising outcome for a player widely viewed as a potential Day 3 pick, whose lone season in Madison checked many of the boxes NFL scouts look for.
At 6-foot-5, 248 pounds, Reiger joined the Badgers as a graduate transfer from Louisville, carrying more uncertainty than guarantees. He missed the entire 2024 season due to injury, and when coach Fickell and his staff brought him in to play a significant role on defense, it wasn’t based on recent production. It was a calculated bet on traits, tape, and the belief that the version of Reiger they saw before the injury was still in there.
That belief didn’t take long to be validated.
During Reiger’s senior season with the Wisconsin Badgers, he appeared in all 12 games and emerged as one of the most disruptive players along a defensive front that desperately needed pass-rushing juice off the edge. He finished with 33 total tackles (18 solo), along with 6.0 tackles for loss and five sacks. But the impact went a lot deeper than the counting stats.
Reiger generated 45 total pressures, consistently affecting quarterbacks even when he wasn’t finishing the play. That kind of down-to-down disruption showed up in the advanced metrics, too. According to Pro Football Focus, the Illinois native posted an 82.3 overall defensive grade across 514 snaps, including an 82.5 pass-rush grade and a 78.4 mark against the run.
That’s not just production. That’s high-level efficiency.
And in a league that increasingly values players who can win their reps consistently — not just occasionally — and do it against high-level competition like Reiger faced in the Big Ten, that matters. But beyond the on-field production and talent for the former walk-on, Reiger’s off-field qualities and his pro-like demeanor make him a worthwhile investment.
Inside Wisconsin’s football program, Reiger was viewed as a foundational piece in the locker room — someone whose approach to preparation and accountability elevated the group around him. Coaches trusted him. In a disappointing 2025 season that came with no shortage of challenges, he became a steady presence, the kind of player who showed up the same way every day regardless of circumstance. That resilience is important.
Because for NFL teams, especially in the undrafted market, you’re not just betting on film and traits. You’re also betting on habits. You’re betting on the ability to handle adversity, develop, and carve out a role over time.
Reiger has already done that once.
Now, he’ll be asked to do it again at the next level.
He wasn’t the only former Badger to find an opportunity after the draft.
Several former players landed undrafted free agent deals across the league, headlined by a pair of signings with the Atlanta Falcons in offensive tackle Riley Mahlman and wide receiver Vinny Anthony II. The Los Angeles Rams added multiple pieces as well, bringing in edge rusher Darryl Peterson and cornerback Nyzier Fourqurean, while safety Austin Brown signed with the Indianapolis Colts.
Elsewhere, tight end Lance Mason landed with the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, fullback Jackson Acker joined the Buffalo Bills, and defensive lineman Ben Barten secured a spot with the New York Giants. Along the defensive front, Jay’Viar Suggs signed with the New Orleans Saints, and Parker Petersen found a home with the Carolina Panthers.
A few others will get their shot through rookie minicamps. Wide receiver Jayden Ballard earned invites from both the Tennessee Titans and Colts, while kicker Nathanial Vakos earned an opportunity with the Buccaneers.
It’s not the path most envision when they arrive to play for a program like Wisconsin. But for this group, it’s the one in front of them now.
In a lot of ways, Wisconsin’s absence from the draft board is a reflection of where the program stands right now. This isn’t just about adjusting to a new era of college football, which they’ve been slow to adapt to; it’s about identifying, developing, and producing NFL-level talent, and that hasn’t happened consistently enough under Fickell. The draft numbers make that clear. Fifteen FBS programs produced seven or more picks in 2026, and 231 of the 257 selections came from Power Four conferences.
That’s the gap.
It doesn’t close overnight, but with an influx of resources and a clearer understanding of what it takes to compete at the highest level, the hope is that Wisconsin is at least moving a step closer to what it’s chasing.
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