News - A Historic Drought for Wisconsin in the 2026 NFL Draft: An Unprecedented Absence

In an unprecedented turn for the Wisconsin Badgers, the 2026 NFL Draft concluded without a single player from their roster being selected. This marks the first occurrence of such an outcome in nearly 50 years, last witnessed in 1978. Despite the absence of current Badgers in the draft picks, former players who transferred and continued their careers elsewhere made headlines. Skyler Bell, who shone as a wide receiver for UConn, was picked by the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round. Similarly, Riley Nowakowski, a tight end now associated with Indiana, was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fifth round. The draft snub comes on the heels of an uninspiring 2025 season for the Badgers, finishing with a 4-8 record and continuing into back-to-back losing seasons that have not been seen since the early '90s. Only two Badgers, edge rusher Mason Reiger and wide receiver Vinny Anthony II, were invited to the NFL combine, but neither managed to catch the attention required to secure a draft spot. Interestingly, this is the second year in a row where the Badgers failed to have players selected in the initial six rounds. Their draft presence dimmed notably after offensive lineman Jack Nelson and safety Hunter Wohler were selected in the seventh round of the previous year’s draft. The lack of influential Wisconsin players in the draft spotlight echoes back to their 1990 scenario, where no UW player cracked the first 200 picks, harkening back to when Craig Hudson was chosen by the Kansas City Chiefs at the 263rd position. Other noteworthy Badgers who may still find their way into NFL rosters via undrafted free agency include safety Austin Brown, cornerback Ricardo Hallman, offensive lineman Riley Mahlman, and tight end Lance Mason. Their prospects remain under speculation as franchises make moves to strengthen their squads post-draft. This unforeseen dry spell highlights mounting pressures on the Wisconsin program to rebound and recapture its storied position in college football, known for consistently producing NFL-ready talent.