The Wisconsin Badgers have reportedly landed SMU transfer quarterback Tanner Mordecai, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, adding to their already deep quarterback class in 2023.
#EMS quarterback Tanner Mordecai entered the transfer gate earlier tonight and is expected to land at #Wisconsin, according to sources. Would be a huge pickup for Luke Fickell and OC Phil Longo.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) December 30, 2022
The Badgers had long been linked with a transfer quarterback, with transfer Virginia Brennan Armstrong gaining traction in recent weeks, but landed on their guy: Tanner Mordecai, who spent the past two seasons at SMU after transferred from Oklahoma.
Mordecai will be a sixth-year senior in 2023 and immediately positions himself as a contender for the starting job, given his college-level experience unlike any other quarterback on the Badgers roster.
Mordecai is the second trade quarterback the Badgers have landed this offseason, as well as the second former quarterback from Oklahoma, joining Nick Evers, who was a true freshman last season.
Over the past two years, Mordecai has thrown for at least 3,500 yards and 33 touchdowns, while displaying great accuracy, which likely piqued new offensive coordinator Phil Longo’s interest with his air raid plan.
The sixth-year quarterback is a huge gain for new head coach Luke Fickell, who adds legitimate experience for his competition in 2023.
Now the Badgers have five quarterbacks in their 2023 room: Mordecai, returning sixth-year senior Chase Wolf, real freshman Myles Burkett, transfer freshman Nick Evers and new freshman Cole Flood.
With Mordecai, the Badgers have a solid short- and long-term solution with their variety of quarterbacks, a testament to Fickell’s impressive efforts in a short time to reshape this Wisconsin program.