Wisconsin's Jamel Howard, Ernest Willor Jr. Enter Transfer Portal
The Wisconsin Badgers will have a lot of work to do after the transfer portal took a toll on the 2025 roster. As it opens today, there are 20 players who have already entered or are expected to enter the portal, giving Luke Fickell and his staff plenty of work to do this offseason.
Most recently, two defenders have left the program, as Jamel Howard and Ernest Willor Jr. are officially in the transfer portal. The news comes less than three days after six-year safety Preston Zachman‘s agent informed Hayes Fawcett and On3 of his departure.
Willor was a major get for Wisconsin’s class of 2024. The four-star edge rusher chose the Badgers over programs such as Ohio State, Alabama and Miami. A true sophomore, Willor brings great versatility to the position at 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, but received limited playing time with the team. He tallied 47 tackles, seven sacks and two interceptions at Concordia Prep in 2023.
Howard, although not as highly touted, is a three-star recruit from the class of 2023. The redshirt sophomore had offers from the likes of Michigan, LSU and Miami. A Chicago native, Howard decided to stay closer to home. He recorded 53 tackles and three sacks at Marist High School in 2022.
In his three seasons with the program, the 6-foot-3, 320-pound defensive lineman also received limited time, appearing in just one game during the 2025 season.
This leaves the Badgers with 11 defenders in the transfer portal. Willor and Howard had the chance to contribute more to Wisconsin in 2026, but are now gone.
