Badgers in the NFL
27 former Badgers appeared in NFL action during the 2021 season, with 20 starting at least one game. Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. Watt was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year while Indianapolis running back Jonathan Taylor scampered to an NFL-leading 1,811 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns.
Taylor (No. 5) and Watt (No. 6) both landed in the top 10 of the NFL Top 100 list, making the Badgers the only program in the country with two former players in the top 10 of the list.
Russell Wilson assembled another Pro Bowl season in Seattle before being sent to Denver in a trade prior to the 2022 season. Wilson was named the NFL’s 2022 Bart Starr Award winner for “outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field, and in the community.”
Former Badgers continued their reputation of offensive line dominance, with Tyler Biadasz (Cowboys), Rob Havenstein (Rams) and Kevin Zeitler (Ravens) among the NFL group of experienced linemen.
The Badgers head into the fall of 2022 with 32 players on NFL rosters.
ZACH BAUN - New Orleans Saints
Baun played in all 17 of the Saints’ contests in 2021, logging four starts. Baun recorded a career-high eight tackles in New Orleans’ Week 16 matchup. The West Bend, Wis. native was a fixture on the Saints’ special teams unit, totaling 20-plus special teams snaps in 13 games. Baun finished the season with 30 tackles after recording 15 during his rookie season in 2020.
TYLER BIADASZ - Dallas Cowboys
Biadasz was a mainstay at the heart of the Cowboys’ offensive line in 2021, starting all 21 games at center. In his second year in the NFL, Biadasz helped protect a passing game unit that totaled 4,963 yards, ranking third in the league. The Amherst, Wis. native posted the 18th best center grade in the NFL (65.1).
VINCE BIEGEL - Baltimore Ravens
In his sixth NFL season and second with the Dolphins, Biegel played five games in a 2021 season that was hampered by injuries. Biegel signed with the Ravens in the spring of 2022.
LOGAN BRUSS - Los Angeles Rams
Bruss was selected in the third round of the 2022 by the reigning NFL champions. Bruss was slated to assume right guard duties for the Rams before suffering an injury during the preseason.
QUINTEZ CEPHUS - Detroit Lions
Cephus started his sophomore campaign in Detroit strong, logging 15 catches for 204 yards and two scores through four contests. However, a collarbone injury sustained in Week 5 sidelined the Macon, Ga. native for the season.
LEO CHENAL - Kansas City Chiefs
Chenal was selected as a third-round pick by the Chiefs in the 2022 draft. Chenal enters the 2022 season as a key special teams asset and second-string linebacker.
RYAN CONNELLY - Minnesota Vikings
Connelly played in 12 games and made three tackles in 2021, his third NFL season. Connelly, contributed on the Vikings’ special teams units, logging a 61 percent special teams snap rate, the highest of his career.
MICHAEL DEITER - Miami Dolphins
After playing in 16 games in both of his first two season in Miami, Deiter played in and started eight contests for the Dolphins in 2021. Deiter logged a 60.6 PFF grade, the highest of his career. Deiter, who was a Badger from 2014-2018, allowed only one quarterback sack in 546 snaps in 2021.
DAVID EDWARDS - Los Angeles Rams
After playing all 16 games during his first two NFL campaigns, Edwards started all 17 games for the Super Bowl-champion Rams in 2021. Edwards starred at left guard in one of the NFL’s most high-powered offenses.
T.J. EDWARDS - Philadelphia Eagles
In his third season in Philadelphia, Edwards played in 16 games, starting a career-high 14 contests. Edwards tallied 125 tackles, including a team-high 10 takedowns in a breakout game against the Saints. In the Week 11 matchup, Edwards knocked down a pair of passes, recovered a fumble, grabbed an interception and totaled 10 tackles. His 125 tackles in 2021 ranked second on the team and tied for the sixth-most by an Eagle since 1991.
ALEX ERICKSON - Washington Commanders
Erickson played in his sixth NFL season and his first for the Carolina Panthers in 2021. In his debut season in Carolina, Erickson caught three passes and served as a kickoff and punt returner. In 17 games for Carolina, Erickson averaged 8.9 yards per punt return. Erickson signed with the Washington Commanders for the 2022 season.
MELVIN GORDON - Denver Broncos
In 2021, his second season with the Broncos, Gordon started 16 games and racked up 918 yards on the ground. Gordon found the endzone on eight occasions, logging his sixth-straight season with eight or more scores. His six seasons with eight or more rushing touchdowns rank third for NFL running backs since 2000. Only LaDainian Tomlinson (9) and Adrian Peterson (8) have recorded more eight-plus touchdown seasons on the ground since 2000.
ROB HAVENSTEIN - Los Angeles Rams
Havenstein continued to establish himself as one of the best right tackles in football during the 2021 season, starting all of the Rams regular season and postseason games en route to a Super Bowl championship. Havenstein finished with his best overall PFF (83.4) season of his career. For the first time in his career, Havenstein was named a team captain heading into the 2022 season.
MATT HENNINGSEN - Denver Broncos
Henningsen was selected in the sixth round of the 2022 draft by the Broncos and heads into his debut season looking to make an impact on the edge of the defensive line.
FAION HICKS - Denver Broncos
Hicks was the fifth Badger to be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, going to the Denver Broncos in the seventh round. He began the 2022 season on Denver’s practice squad.
ALEC INGOLD - Miami Dolphins
In his third season as a Raider, Ingold played in nine games, starting three. The Green Bay, Wis. native hauled in a touchdown, giving him scores in each of his first 3 NFL seasons. Ingold made 10 total catches and served as a team captain. Ingold signed with the Dolphins in the spring of 2022.
ISAIAHH LOUDERMILK - Pittsburgh Steelers
Loudermilk made his NFL debut in Week 2 of the 2021 season and went on to register 23 tackles, 1.0 sack and three passes defended through 15 games. Loudermilk made a pair of starts during the back stretch of the regular season, playing more than half of the defensive unit’s snaps during Week 15 and 16.
DARE OGUNBOWALE - Jacksonville Jaguars
In his second season in Jacksonville, Ogunbowale played in 17 games and ran for 137 yards and a score on 43 carries. Ogunbowale, who was a Badger from 2012-16, added 13 catches, finding the endzone once through the air.
KEDRIC PRYOR - Jacksonville Jaguars
Pryor made a stop in Cincinnati as an undrafted free agent before being picked up by the Jaguars off of waivers. Pryor begins the 2022 season as the Jaguars’ sixth receiver.
RYAN RAMCZYK - New Orleans Saints
Ramczyk, a former first-round pick, fought through a knee injury to start 10 games at right tackle for the Saints. Since Ramczyk entered the league, the Saints have allowed the fewest sacks (131) in the NFL.
JACK SANBORN - Chicago Bears
Sanborn, a Chicago area native, was added by the Bears as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 draft. In his first preseason game, Sanborn picked off a pass and recovered a fumble.
JONATHAN TAYLOR - Indianapolis Colts
Taylor dominated opposing defenses during 2021, rumbling for a NFL-leading 1,811 yards on the ground, 18 rushing scores, 2,171 all-purpose yards and 20 total touchdowns. After setting Colts single-season franchise records for rushing yards and touchdowns, Taylor was the leading vote-getter for the Pro Bowl. Taylor leads the NFL in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and overall scrimmage yards since the beginning of the 2020 season.
ANDREW VAN GINKEL - Miami Dolphins
For the second-straight season in Miami, Van Ginkel played in every game, making 14 starts in 2021. Van Ginklel made 62 tackles, logged 4.0 sacks and batted down seven passes. The Rock Valley, Iowa native also added nine tackles on special teams.
COLE VAN LANEN - Jacksonville Jaguars
Van Lanen played in one game during 2021 with the Packers. He was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars prior to the 2022 season and could provide depth at both tackle and guard.
DEREK WATT - Pittsburgh Steelers
In his sixth NFL season, Watt played in all 17 games for the Steelers, starting four. Watt played a key role in the run game for Pittsburgh and contributed on special teams, making 14 tackles. His 10 solo takedowns led the Steelers’ unit. Watt also caught three passes for 15 yards.
J.J. WATT - Arizona Cardinals
Watt, a team captain in his first year as a Cardinal, embarked on his 11th NFL season in 2021. Watt suffered a would-be season-ending shoulder injury in Week 7 but returned for Arizona’s first playoff berth since 2015. Through seven games in 2021, Watt tallied 16 tackles, forced a fumble and recorded one sack.
T.J. WATT - Pittsburgh Steelers
Watt formulated an incredible 2021 season that led to him being named Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year. Watt was named to his fourth-straight Pro Bowl after leading the NFL with 22.5 sacks, tying Hall of Famer Michael Strahan for the most in a season since 1982. Watt also led the NFL in tackles for loss (21), quarterback hits (39) and fumble recoveries (3).
RACHAD WILDGOOSE - Washington Commanders
Wildgoose played in five games during the 2021 season for the Jets, totaling three tackles. Wildgoose was signed off of waivers by Washington heading into the 2022 season.
RUSSELL WILSON - Denver Broncos
Wilson started 14 games for the Seahawks in 2021, totaling 3,113 yards through the air for 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions. Wilson also scored twice on the ground, rushing 43 times for 183 yards. Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowler, begins the 2022 season as the leader for the Broncos after a blockbuster trade in March 2022. Wilson is the only quarterback in NFL history to accumulate 35,000-plus passing yards and 4,500 or more rushing yards in his career.
KEVIN ZEITLER - Baltimore Ravens
In his debut season in Baltimore in 2021, Zeitler was a steady presence for the Ravens offensive line, starting all 17 games and playing every offensive snap. Zeitler allowed only one sack and 17 pressures all season, earning a PFF grade of 76.4.
