Wisconsin lands in-conference DE transfer

The Wisconsin Badgers continued to make waves via the transfer portal on Monday when Michigan State Spartans defensive end Jeff Pietrowski committed to the program.

Pietrowski joins defensive end Darian Varner as transfer additions amongst the front seven for the Badgers, although the Michigan State transfer seems primed to earn some snaps at outside linebacker, helping fill the void left by Nick Herbig and C.J. Goetz.

While an injury cost Pietrowski all but three games of the 2022 season, the Spartans defensive end earned 5.5 sacks in his 2021 season as a sophomore, which ranked second on his team. Additionally, the defensive end accumulated seven tackles for loss, while forcing three fumbles in his first year of significant playing time.

New head coach Luke Fickell’s interest in Pietrowski dates back to 2020 when he recruited him out of high school while with the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Now, Pietrowski joins a defensive end unit that includes Varner, as well as returning starters Rodas Johnson, Isaiah Mullens, and James Thompson Jr, but keep an eye out for him lining up at outside linebacker as well.

Pietrowski is now the seventh transfer that Fickell has landed at Wisconsin, joining Varner(Temple), offensive linemen Jake Renfro(Cincinnati) and Joe Huber(Cincinnati), quarterbacks Nick Evers(Oklahoma) and Tanner Mordecai(SMU), as well as defensive back Jason Maitre(Boston College).

Offensive coordinator Phil Longo re-affirmed his previous tweet about Wisconsin adding five extra players by doubling down and saying that the Badgers are actually getting seven new weapons for the program.

Stay tuned.