Wisconsin QB Billy Edwards Jr. to hit the transfer portal
After just two games with the Badgers, Billy Edwards Jr. is headed to the portal and will finish his career elsewhere.
Billy Edwards Jr. was brought into the Wisconsin football program to be the starting quarterback for the Badgers in 2025. The Maryland transfer brought a veteran presence to the Badgers’ quarterback room after spending three years with the Terrapins, throwing for 2,881 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024.
Unfortunately, we never got to see the senior transfer play much for the Badgers as his time in Madison was plagued with injuries. In one of the Badgers’ final fall practices before the start of the season, Edwards Jr. banged knees with a teammate, forcing him out of the remainder of practice. He started the Badgers’ first game against Miami (OH), but made it only two and a half possessions before spraining his knee.
After missing the next three games, he made his comeback at home against Maryland, his former team. Edwards Jr. lasted just ten snaps before he was forced to exit with that same injury.
Wisconsin fans never saw Edwards Jr. take another snap. He finished his career with the Badgers, completing 7-of-16 passes (43.8%) for 113 yards.
When the season ended after the Badgers’ loss to Minnesota, it became pretty clear they needed to upgrade their quarterback room drastically. The pressure to produce wins sooner rather than later doesn’t necessarily allow time for Fickell and his staff to develop Carter Smith. So where else do they turn to? The transfer portal. That doesn’t leave much of a spot for Billy Edwards Jr.
So, he will enter the transfer portal, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
This was a move many thought would happen. Now that Edwards Jr. is expected to receive a medical hardship, he will be able to play one more season, but it won’t be in Madison.
Edwards is the 17th Wisconsin football player to enter the transfer portal this offseason.
That will leave the Badgers with three scholarship quarterbacks heading into the 2026 season: Danny O’Neil (RS-Jr), Carter Smith (RS-Fr), and Ryan Hopkins (Fr).
It’s no secret that the Badgers are looking to add two quarterbacks via the transfer portal once it opens up on Friday, January 2nd. So the loss of Edwards Jr. won’t have much of an impact on the team heading into next season.
Related Reading:
Wisconsin football transfer portal tracker
We are officially in the offseason for the Wisconsin football program. With that comes transfer portal season. The transfer portal window officially opens Jan. 2-16, but players can announce their intentions to transfer before the window opens.
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