The Badgers are getting in quickly for a transfer portal offensive tackle.
The Wisconsin Badgers are getting in the sweepstakes for the top offensive tackle in the transfer portal, as they’ve scheduled a visit with South Dakota’s Joe Cotton, according to 247Sports’s Chris Hummer.
South Dakota OT Joe Cotton has emerged as one of the most popular names in the transfer portal.
His agency @QCSports tells @mzenitz and I he’s set Cincinnati and Wisconsin visits.
But many teams are reaching out to the portal’s top available OT.https://t.co/S2RkBunJaP pic.twitter.com/XmbdW3aRv6
— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) April 16, 2025
Since entering the portal, Cotton has been one of the most popular players available, garnering interest from Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Penn State, Ole Miss, USC, Michigan, and Missouri, among others.
But, the Badgers and the Cincinnati Bearcats are getting the first crack at the offensive tackle, as both schools have scheduled visits with Cotton so far.
Wisconsin is in the market for an offensive tackle after losing left tackle Kevin Heywood for the season with a torn ACL last week. While they may not ultimately go with a transfer portal offensive lineman, they’re at least showing serious interest in Cotton, who could be a plug-and-play option.
The South Dakota lineman was an FCS All-American in 2023 before earning All-Missouri Valley Conference honors in 2024 as a starter at left tackle.
In the meantime, former Vanderbilt transfer Leyton Nelson has stepped into the left tackle role since Heywood’s injury. Nelson had seen time as a swing tackle, playing on both edges this spring.