John Torchio has been a pillar on the Wisconsin Badgers defense for the past two years. Now, there has been a great deal of change and upheaval in the Wisconsin Badgers football program. New head coach Luke Fickell has created a buzz around the team that has not been seen in well over a decade. So exciting are his changes that the senior safety was not initially sure whether he wanted to declare for the NFL Draft or return to Wisconsin for one more year. He had previously stated that he would make his decision following the Badgers appearance in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. Now that the game has come and gone (with a Wisconsin win), Torchio has made his decision.
John Torchio Has Declared for the NFL Draft
On his Twitter profile, John Torchio posted a heartfelt thank you to the Wisconsin Badgers program. He stated, though, that he will be leaving Madison for the NFL.
Thank you Madison ❤️ pic.twitter.com/0hcfhqnnAH
— John Torchio (@JohnTorchio) January 1, 2023
Torchio joins fellow Wisconsin Badgers defensive players Keeanu Benton and Nick Herbig in his declaration for the NFL Draft.
From Walk-on to First-Team All Big-Ten
John Torchio walked on with the Wisconsin Badgers in 2018. However, he did not see any game action until his true freshman year in 2019. That season, Torchio appeared in four games, logging three tackles and an interception.
In 2020, Torchio played just two games in what was a weird COVID-shortened season. 2021, though, saw him raise his game to a completely higher level. In 11 games, Torchio racked up 35 tackles and three interceptions.
He was even better in 2022, when he was named First-Team All Big-Ten. In 13 games, Torchio had 35 tackles and five interceptions. He returned two of these interceptions for touchdowns, including a record 100-yard pick six early in the season.
Why Did John Torchio Wait to Declare for the NFL Draft?
As mentioned previously, Keeanu Benton and Nick Herbig declared for the NFL Draft prior to Wisconsin’s bowl game. Many draft prospects do this so that they do not get injured and hurt their draft stock. So why did John Torchio wait?
In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Torchio said: ” I just love this place too much. Everyone’s got a different reasoning. I like this place too much and I like the guys too much. And I’m not some high draft prospect. I’ve still got to prove I can play at the next level.”
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