These former Wisconsin Badgers made NFL 53-man rosters to start the season (plus the other Wisconsin ties, too)
"Obviously, we like doing business with Wisconsin."
Those were the words of Steelers coach Mike Tomlin this preseason, and with good reason. Badgers have popped up all over the Steelers roster in recent years, including former Defensive Player of the Year winner T.J. Watt.
The team drafted two standouts at UW last year, Nick Herbig and Keeanu Benton, and both delivered eye-opening preseasons in advance of their rookie seasons. Isaiahh Loudermilk was already on board, and that doesn't even count Derek Watt, who played for the Steelers the past three seasons but is currently a free agent.
More: These former Packers made the initial 53-man rosters for other NFL teams
More: From rookies to veterans, meet the 17 new players on the 2023 Green Bay Packers 53-man roster
In all, 22 Badgers made 53-man rosters to start the year, and several other Wisconsinites are worth noting, as well. Here's the rundown:
Zack Baun, linebacker, New Orleans Saints
The Brown Deer native played predominantly on special teams the last two seasons and will enter his fourth season with the team.
Keeanu Benton, defensive tackle, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Janesville Craig alumnus was taken in the second round this year and earned the best marks of any NFL rookie defensive lineman in the preseason from Pro Football Focus. For now, he'll back up former Packers nose guard Montravius Adams.
Tyler Biadasz, center, Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys center is a legacy position for UW. Taking over for five-time Pro Bowler Travis Frederick after the 2019 season, the Amherst native Biadasz has been solid for the past three seasons, including in a Pro Bowl campaign last year.
Leo Chenal, linebacker, Kansas City Chiefs
He won a Super Bowl ring as a rookie, even getting a sack in the Super Bowl. This year, he'll see his role increase, listed as a starting linebacker.
David Edwards, guard, Buffalo Bills
After four years with the Los Angeles Rams (including a Super Bowl triumph), Edwards landed with one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl this season. He'll play left guard, listed as a backup to start.
T.J. Edwards, linebacker, Chicago Bears
Edwards signed a three-year, $19.5 million deal in March with Chicago after a prolific run with the Philadelphia Eagles all the way to the Super Bowl last year. Though he went undrafted in 2019, spent four years with the Eagles and last year racked up 159 tackles and 10 tackles for loss.
Jake Ferguson, tight end, Dallas Cowboys
The Madison native was taken in the fourth round last year and didn't disappoint as a rookie, catching 19 passes and securing two touchdowns. He's listed as one of two starting tight ends this year for former Packers coach Mike McCarthy.
Rob Havenstein, offensive tackle, Los Angeles Rams
A steady presence on the line for the past eight seasons, he'll again be the starting right tackle. The second-round pick in 2015 won a Super Bowl ring in 2021. He signed a three-year deal last September worth $34.5 million.
Matt Henningsen, defensive end, Denver Broncos
The native of Menomonee Falls saw action in 17 games last year on both special teams and defense. He'll be a backup at defensive end.
Nick Herbig, linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers
After three years of havoc-creating at Wisconsin, Herbig was selected in the fourth round of the 2023 draft and will play in the same unit as former Badgers standout T.J. Watt. He's a backup outside linebacker on the right side (with Watt on the left).
Alec Ingold, fullback, Miami Dolphins
The graduate of Bay Port will play his second season as Dolphins fullback; he saw action in 17 games last year and caught 15 passes, with one touchdown receiving and one rushing. This will be his fifth NFL season overall.
Isaiahh Loudermilk, defensive end, Pittsburgh Steelers
A backup at defensive tackle, Loudermilk enters his third season with the Steelers; he was limited to 11 games last year but made three starts.
Dare Ogunbowale, running back, Houston Texans
It'll be a remarkable seventh year for the undrafted running back out of Marquette University High School, and he appeared in 17 games each of the past two seasons.
Ryan Ramczyk, offensive tackle, New Orleans Saints
The starting right tackle earned a five-year extension in 2021 and has been a reliable presence for New Orleans since he was taken in the first round in 2017. The 2019 first-team All Pro hails from Stevens Point and started his football career at UW-Stevens Point.
Jack Sanborn, linebacker, Chicago Bears
Like Edwards, Sanborn went undrafted, but he'll nonetheless be waiting for the Packers in Week 1. The Illinois native made the team last year as a rookie and appeared in 14 games, registering two sacks and 64 tackles overall.
Jonathan Taylor, running back, Indianapolis Colts
A highly publicized dispute with Colts management could have played into a trade (to the Packers, even?), but instead he's still in Indy and unhappy, and he's opening the season on the Physically Unable to Perform List (so he'll miss the first four games at minimum). He was the runnerup Offensive Player of the Year two seasons ago.
Joe Tippmann, center, New York Jets
The 43rd overall pick left Wisconsin early after a standout career and will enter the season as the backup center behind Connor McGovern, whose job is to get the ball into the hands of ex-Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Andrew Van Ginkel, linebacker, Miami Dolphins
The backup linebacker has spent the past four seasons in Miami, with his first career interception last year. His biggest highlight came in 2020 when he returned a fumble 78 yards for a score.
Cole Van Lanen, guard, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Bay Port alumnus starred at UW and was drafted by his hometown Green Bay Packers in 2021, but he was traded last year to the Jaguars, where he appeared in 16 games.
Russell Wilson, quarterback, Denver Broncos
Last year was a trying season for the nine-time Pro Bowler, with the Broncos going just 4-11 after his trade from Seattle. Wilson, 34, threw for 16 touchdowns, by far the lowest mark of his career.
T.J. Watt, linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers
A former Defensive Player of the Year, he's suddenly the last Watt standing in the NFL after oldest brother J.J. retired and middle brother Derek enters the season as a free agent. The five-time Pro Bowler has earned top-three standing in the DPOY voting three times (winning in 2021) and is on a Hall of Fame track.
Kevin Zeitler, guard, Baltimore Ravens
The veteran who played high-school football at Wisconsin Lutheran is entering his 12th season and third with the Ravens. He played in 15 games last year and has started at least that many games for the past eight seasons. He'll be the starter at right guard.
Other Wisconsin connections
Starting with a first-round draft pick, it isn't just ex-Badgers who are bringing a Wisconsin brand of football to the NFL.
Nick Bellore, linebacker, Seattle Seahawks
You'd be forgiven if you didn't know there was a graduate of Whitefish Bay High School heading into his 13th NFL season; Bellore has made his name as a special-teams ace, even making a Pro Bowl in 2020. This will be his fifth season with the Seahawks.
Ben Bredeson, guard, New York Giants
The alumnus of Arrowhead started his career in Baltimore but will enter his third year with the Giants, listed as the starting left guard.
Mike Caliendo, guard, Kansas City Chiefs
The backup at left guard hasn't appeared in an NFL game yet but was on the Chiefs practice squad last year and won a Super Bowl ring. He attended Brookfield East and played college football at Western Michigan.
Luke Goedeke, offensive tackle, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The expected starting right tackle appeared in 11 games last year as a rookie at guard and started eight after getting selected in the second round of the 2022 draft. The Valders native played college football first at UW-Stevens Point, then at Central Michigan. He's moving back to his more natural right tackle spot this year for Tampa's revamped offensive line.
Shelby Harris, defensive end, Cleveland Browns
The Homestead High School alumnus is a long-tenured NFL veteran by now, about to enter his ninth season (and 10th year since getting drafted). He played in 15 games last year for the Seahawks and signed with Cleveland in August
Hunter Luepke, running back, Dallas Cowboys
The undrafted rookie out of North Dakota State made the Cowboys roster as a fourth running back. He's from Spencer High School (near Marshfield) and prepared for the draft as a top fullback prospect.
Will McDonald, defensive line, New York Jets
The Waukesha North graduate enjoyed a meteoric rise at Iowa State all the way to a first-round draft selection. He'll have a chance to develop as an edge rusher for the Jets.
Quinn Meinerz, guard, Denver Broncos
The Hartford native became a pre-draft darling after his time at UW-Whitewater and parlayed that into becoming a third-round pick in 2021. He's had two solid NFL seasons since, appearing in 28 games and making 22 starts. He'll be Denver's starting right guard this year.
Eric Murray, cornerback, Houston Texans
The alumnus of Milwaukee Riverside was drafted by the Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2016 draft and is heading into his eighth season. He played all 17 games last year (though didn't start any) and will serve as the backup safety. He played college football at Minnesota.
Max Scharping, guard, Cincinnati Bengals
The backup right guard will head into his fifth NFL season and second with the Bengals. He's appeared in 62 NFL games overall and attended Green Bay Southwest.
Jon Gaines II, offensive line, Arizona Cardinals (injured reserve)
The Marquette University High School product attended UCLA and was selected in the fourth round, but he injured his knee in the final preseason game and was placed on injured reserve. With the designation coming before the season, it means his year is over.
These ex-Badgers and Wisconsinites landed on NFL practice squads
Logan Bruss, guard, Los Angeles Rams
Corey Clement, running back, Arizona Cardinals
Ryan Connelly, inside linebacker, New Orleans Saints
Michael Deiter, center, Houston Texans
Alex Erickson, wide receiver, Los Angeles Chargers (UW)
Daurice Fountain, wide receiver, Detroit Lions (Madison Memorial)
Troy Fumagalli, tight end, San Francisco 49ers
Melvin Gordon, running back, Baltimore Ravens
Kristian Welch, linebacker, Green Bay Packers (Iola-Scandinavia)
These Wisconsinites or Badgers were also cut
Dan Arnold, tight end, Philadelphia Eagles (Wisconsin-Platteville)
Tyler Beach, guard, Houston Texans
Aron Cruikshank, wide receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers (began career at UW, transferred to Rutgers)
Faion Hicks, cornerback, Denver Broncos (UW)
A.J. Klein, linebacker, Buffalo Bills (Kimberly)
Scott Nelson, defensive back, Detroit Lions (UW)
Kendric Pryor, wide receiver, Jacksonville Jaguars (UW)
Olive Sagapolu, defensive tackle, Philadelphia Eagles (UW)
Rachad Wildgoose, cornerback, Washington Commanders (UW)
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former Wisconsin Badgers football players on NFL 53-man rosters
