MADISON, Wis. — At some point early in spring practice, and likely even before then, it became clear that Wisconsin’s defensive line needed bolstering. With the spring transfer portal window set to open April 16, members of the Badgers’ staff gathered as much intel as they could and put a plan in motion to add a playmaker up front.
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Then, the dominoes began to fall. And despite Wisconsin’s best efforts, none of the top targets went the Badgers’ way.
Kent State’s C.J. West earned a Wisconsin offer on the first day of the portal window. He committed to Indiana on May 8. Alabama’s Khurtiss Perry committed to Virginia Tech on May 14. Grand Valley State’s Jay’viar Suggs committed to LSU on May 15. Stephen F. Austin’s Brandon Lane first committed to Michigan State on April 25 and then to Louisville on May 20. Wyoming’s Gavin Meyer committed to USC on May 22.
All that work just to yield zero commitments would have been a tremendous disappointment at a position of significant need, but the Badgers did not give up. Instead, they secured a campus visit from Lane two days after his commitment to Louisville and flipped him to Wisconsin. Lane signed with the Badgers on May 24 following a two-day trip to Madison. He briefly returned home and has since joined the team for summer workouts.
“Honestly, it’s just the family feeling and the energy that I received from the players and the coaches,” Lane said. “Just everybody that I talked to up here, their energy. They need me here, and that made me excited to be here.”
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Roster management has become as difficult as ever in the transfer portal era, and winning key portal battles is paramount. The hope for Wisconsin is that Lane, who has two years of eligibility remaining, can provide the Badgers a necessary upgrade along the defensive line.
Lane spent his first two seasons at South Dakota State, appearing as a reserve in three games, before transferring to Stephen F. Austin after the 2021 season. Lane finished last fall with 44 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and one fumble recovery. According to Pro Football Focus, he played 406 snaps on the defensive line and tied for the second-best run defense grade on the team (79.8).
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“I’m very explosive,” Lane said. “I’ve got a high motor. I finish plays on both sides of the field. I’m aggressive and then I love getting TFLs and run stopping.”
How Lane fits at Wisconsin will be determined during preseason practices. Wisconsin closed the spring with James Thompson Jr. and Curt Neal as the top two defensive linemen. When the Badgers used three D-linemen on the field, Thompson and Neal lined up with Ben Barten. Thompson, who finished with three sacks last season, was the only Badgers defensive lineman to record more than one sack.
Wisconsin’s second-team defensive line at the end of the spring included Cade McDonald and Elijah Hills. McDonald played just seven defensive snaps for the Badgers last season. Hills played 779 effective snaps at FCS school Albany, but he began the spring with the third-team defense and didn’t move up until T.J. Bollers transferred out of the program.
“They’re honestly just telling me the opportunity that I have here is really good,” Lane said. “It’s a great opportunity to come in and compete for a starting job as well as come in and get developed and be in the Big Ten and play at the highest level with a great schedule this season.”
Lane said Wisconsin was in the picture during the early stages of his portal recruitment, even before he committed to Michigan State. He noted that Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell, defensive line coach E.J. Whitlow and director of recruiting Pat Lambert were in constant contact with him. Although it is not unheard of for a player to flip his commitment during portal season, doing so twice is unusual.
“When I decommitted from Michigan State, I was open to all opportunities,” Lane said. “I was talking to multiple Power 4 schools. I liked the scheme at Louisville. And then I kind of felt like it was like crunch time. I was trying to find a home. So I kind of rushed myself during the Louisville commit because I saw the opportunity there. Just the opportunity on the field and I kind of just took it and ran with it to preserve me a spot.
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“But I was in the middle of talking with Wisconsin as well, and I felt like I didn’t get to go on my Wisconsin visit. Louisville didn’t want me to go on the Wisconsin visit. It was just a lot going on, and I didn’t get to go on the Wisconsin visit and I wanted to.”
Wisconsin has added 16 transfers since the end of last season, including four players from the spring transfer portal window: offensive tackle Leyton Nelson (Vanderbilt), preferred walk-on offensive lineman Joey Okla (Illinois), wide receiver Joseph Griffin Jr. (Boston College) and Lane.
Wisconsin’s defensive line has undergone a fairly significant overhaul since last season. Five scholarship players have transferred out of the program: Rodas Johnson (Texas A&M), Darian Varner (Cincinnati), Gio Paez (LSU), Bollers (Cal) and Mike Jarvis (Liberty). Bollers and Jarvis both transferred during the spring portal window, making it even more imperative for Wisconsin to replenish its numbers before the start of the season.
The Badgers are set to have five newcomers on the defensive line with Lane and Hills, as well as freshmen Ernest Willor Jr., Dillan Johnson and Hank Weber. Redshirt freshman Jamel Howard is another scholarship defensive lineman on the roster.
Lane said he recognizes he hasn’t taken the most straightforward path to Wisconsin but is eager to prove himself next season.
“I’m just looking at it like it took time for me to find the right home and the right fit,” Lane said. “And that’s honestly all that matters.”
(Photo: Jeff Hanisch / USA Today)
