Badgers WR/CB Dean Engram enters transfer portal

Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Dean Engram is entering the transfer portal, sharing his intentions in a tweet on Thursday morning.

Engram’s tweet came after the wide receiver shared a highlight clip of his time as a cornerback with the Badgers, potentially signifying an openness to return to his former position.

Engram had spent the early part of his career as a cornerback for the Badgers, playing as the team’s top option in the slot in 2021.

However, following the hiring of his father Bobby Engram as the team’s offensive coordinator, Dean Engram changed positions to wide receiver, where he would compete with top options Chimere Dike, Skyler Bell, and Markus Allen, as well as UCLA Bruins transfer Keontez Lewis for snaps.

As the season progressed, Engram failed to generate momentum offensively, even after Allen announced his intentions to transfer, ending the year with 13 catches for 152 yards.

Instead, Engram’s primary role was as a punt returner, but the results were uninspiring, as the wideout averaged just 5.5 yards per return, ranking amongst the worst in the Big 10.

With the injury to Alexander Smith prior to the season, and the struggles that the Badgers encountered in the secondary, it seemed more reasonable to keep Engram at his original position, which he could return to at his next destination.

After head coach Luke Fickell brought in significant reinforcements at the wide receiver position, the writing was on the wall for some of the current wideouts in regard to playing time, and Engram is the first to depart the program since.

Currently, the Badgers have Oklahoma State Cowboys transfer Bryson Green, USC Trojans transfer C.J. Williams, and Cincinnati Bearcats transfers Will Pauling and Quincy Burroughs to compete alongside top returners Dike, Bell, and Lewis.