Wisconsin football starting TE sidelined for remainder of fall camp with injury
Wisconsin Badgers TE Tucker Ashcraft will miss the rest of fall camp with an injury, putting pressure on the team's depth ahead of Week 1.
The University of Wisconsin football team will be without its projected starting tight end for the remainder of fall camp.
A team spokesperson confirmed that junior tight end Tucker Ashcraft suffered a lower-body injury and will be held out for the remainder of camp. Ashcraft, who has started for the Badgers each of the last two seasons, was the clear favorite to top the depth chart again in 2025.
His absence is a significant development for a position group that has struggled to produce in recent years. Over the last two seasons, Nate Letton’s tight end room has averaged just 27 receptions, 235 yards, and fewer than two touchdowns per year. That level of production isn’t going to cut it in the Big Ten. With limited proven options behind him, Wisconsin needs someone else to step in and take on that role in Jeff Grimes' offense. Whether they’ve got a guy ready to go is still a fair question.
Before the injury, Ashcraft was positioned to be Wisconsin’s top option alongside spring transfer portal addition Lance Mason in an offense that likes to utilize multiple tight ends. Across his first two seasons, Ashcraft has caught 20 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns over 612 career snaps.
In 2024, he played in all 12 games with five starts, posting 12 receptions for 82 yards and a score. The year prior, as a true freshman thrust into action due to unexpected departures, he appeared in all 13 games, recording eight catches for 86 yards and a touchdown.
According to Pro Football Focus, Ashcraft finished the 2024 season with a 43.3 offensive grade, the lowest on the team, and a 48.6 receiving grade. His early struggles stemmed largely from being asked to play before he was physically ready, something coach Letton acknowledged this spring.
“The thing with Tucker that’s been fun… you saw a guy who physically wasn’t ready, get thrust into playing, and not having a tremendous amount of confidence in what he’s doing,” Letton said.
“But to me, what’s been the most fun with his development is you just see somebody who’s sure of himself and confident, both in the run and in the passing game. We’ve added some responsibilities in the protection elements as well that he’s taking in stride. He’s a confident football player now.”
Confidence is important, but so is physical growth, and Ashcraft appeared to have made strides in both areas heading into his third season. His injury now leaves Wisconsin needing Mason, an FCS standout from Missouri State, to fill an even larger role than initially expected. Mason has shown flashes of pass-catching ability in fall camp and will shoulder the bulk of the reps with the first-team offense in Ashcraft’s absence.
“Lance has done some impressive things,” Fickell said during fall camp. “There’s a lot on the plate of these tight ends. What I love about him is what he said he wanted, and the reason why he came here is what he’s showing. And it’s not just making plays, it’s the commitment to doing all the things to play at the next level. That’s what’s impressive.”
The injury also puts added pressure on depth pieces like Grant Stec and JT Seagreaves to get more reps with the first and second team offense. Seagreaves has game experience but will need to prove he can handle consistent snaps if Ashcraft’s absence extends into the regular season; otherwise, Stec does offer an intriguing option with long-term upside.
There is also Jackson Aker, who is playing more of a fullback/H-back role in Wisconsin’s new look offense, but he could see his snap count rise as a result of Ashcraft's injury. Aker is one of the team’s more versatile athletes and better blockers, even if he does not have a traditional tight end frame, making him a potential piece to help absorb some of the workload.
Ashcraft’s Week 1 status remains unclear after he left practice on crutches with his left foot elevated, a situation the team will address at a later date.
For a position group already looking to shed its recent reputation for low production, the next few weeks of preparation ahead of the season opener against Miami (OH) on Aug. 28 will be critical. Wisconsin’s tight ends will need to not only hold the line without Ashcraft until then, but also find a way to prove they can become a more dynamic part of an offense still searching for reliable secondary options in the passing game.
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Yecccch. They did NOT need this. Hope it's not a major injury.