For the 2017 season, the Badgers were able to use the transfer market to get themselves key pieces to the team that put them on the doorstep of a playoff berth.
While it is not known just how former Houston Cougars safety Collin Wilder could impact the Badgers for the 2019 season and beyond, the Monday announcement of his intention to transfer to Wisconsin puts a promising prospect at strong safety on the depth chart for next year.
B5Q has reached out to Wisconsin for confirmation Wilder will be joining the football program. The defensive back recently visited UW and took in practice a couple of Fridays ago.
Wilder, who was offered by the Badgers as a high school prospect out of Katy, Texas, appeared in all 13 games as a true freshman for Houston, recording nine tackles and nine punt returns along the way.
A knee injury during Houston’s game against Rice limited Wilder to two games as a sophomore last season, which likely will allow him the option of having three seasons at Wisconsin if he is granted a medical hardship waiver. He will have to sit out the 2018 season due to NCAA transfer rules.
According to BadgerBlitz.com’s Jon McNamara, Wilder will start his time at Wisconsin as a preferred walk-on.
The Badgers will lose D’Cota Dixon to graduation next season, and while the Badgers have strong in-house options to replace him, Wilder’s skillset will only add more to the competition and position group.