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- Braedyn Locke: from Big Ten starter to depth chart battles
- Cole LaCrue: finding traction after leaving Wisconsin
- Mabrey Mettauer: three schools in three years
- Nick Evers: multiple stops and limited continuity
- Tyler Van Dyke: a brief starting tenure and an abrupt end
- So, did Wisconsin actually let one get away?
Wisconsin’s quarterback room has been in constant flux since Luke Fickell arrived in Madison, with transfers, young recruits and injury-driven shakeups all reshaping the position. Several signal-callers who once seemed to have a future with the Badgers have since moved on — here’s where they ended up and how they’ve fared.
The Badgers returned to the transfer portal again this offseason, adding former Old Dominion quarterback Colton Joseph as they continue searching for stability under center. Wisconsin’s recent approach has mixed veteran transfers with homegrown options and backup pivots when injuries forced changes.
Braedyn Locke: from Big Ten starter to depth chart battles
Locke stepped in after Tyler Van Dyke’s season-ending knee injury in 2024, starting the final nine games for Wisconsin. He completed the year with 1,936 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as the Badgers dropped their last five contests and missed a bowl game for the first time in over 20 years.
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He transferred to Arizona but saw limited action there, appearing in four games in 2025 before entering the portal again and landing at Tarleton State. His role there has been limited: in five appearances he is 10-of-16 for 112 yards and one touchdown, while Kaden Anderson remains the Texans’ starter.
Cole LaCrue: finding traction after leaving Wisconsin
LaCrue did not play in game action during two seasons at Wisconsin and moved on to Eastern Illinois, where he finally earned meaningful snaps. He arrived as a player who could run and throw.
In 2025 he ran for 498 yards and seven touchdowns while throwing for 851 yards, four TDs and seven interceptions. This season through eight games he has improved as a passer — 1,093 yards, eight touchdowns and just two interceptions — and added 188 rushing yards with four scores on the ground. His completion rate sits at 53.9 percent, but the reduced turnovers mark clear progress.
Mabrey Mettauer: three schools in three years
Mettauer arrived at Wisconsin as a four-star recruit but attempted only one pass in three appearances as a freshman in 2024 before entering the transfer portal. He followed former Wisconsin offensive coordinator Phil Longo to Sam Houston, where he saw more action.
At Sam Houston he played in six games, completing 36-of-61 passes for 293 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. After one season he transferred to SMU and is now in his third program in as many years. With Kevin Jennings running the offense at SMU, Mettauer has yet to attempt a pass this season.
Nick Evers: multiple stops and limited continuity
Evers began his career at Oklahoma and was part of Fickell’s early transfer haul at Wisconsin, but he did not appear in a game for the Badgers in 2023 and moved on. He resurfaced at UConn in 2024, where he started eight games.
During that season he threw for 918 yards and five touchdowns, and added 245 rushing yards and three scores. His role diminished the following year — he played in just three games — and he entered the portal once more, ultimately landing at Missouri. Missouri is now his fourth program after Oklahoma, Wisconsin and UConn, and playing time has continued to be hard to come by.
Tyler Van Dyke: a brief starting tenure and an abrupt end
Van Dyke, a transfer from Miami, won the starting job to begin the 2024 season. Through three games he was 43-of-68 for 422 yards.
His season — and his time as Wisconsin’s quarterback — ended on the first drive against Alabama when he suffered a season-ending knee injury. He later transferred to SMU but did not play in 2025 while recovering. Van Dyke’s playing career has since concluded and he is working as an offensive assistant at SMU, leaving a lingering “what if” about what a full season with him might have produced for Wisconsin.
So, did Wisconsin actually let one get away?
Despite criticism of the Badgers’ quarterback turnover, none of the former Wisconsin signal-callers who left has emerged as a clear star elsewhere. Locke has slipped into a backup role at Tarleton State. Mettauer has moved again without taking a snap this season. Evers has cycled through four programs, and Van Dyke’s playing days are finished.
The notable exception is LaCrue, who dropped to the FCS level and turned an opportunity at Eastern Illinois into consistent production. But that isolated success doesn’t mean Wisconsin has solved the position.
The program underwent a broad roster overhaul via the transfer portal after another disappointing season, and finding a dependable quarterback remains a priority. When a player exits through the portal, the worst outcome is watching him flourish elsewhere — so far, Wisconsin has avoided that fate.
