One of the longest tenured Wisconsin Badgers’ defenders will return to the team for the 2026 season in a final attempt to play college football.
Outside linebacker Aaron Witt will join the Badgers for the 2026 season after contemplating his options moving forward. Witt will enter his seventh collegiate season next year when he steps onto the field once again for Wisconsin following his most productive seasons in Madison.
The hybrid linebacker was previously a three-star defensive end in the 2020 recruiting class coming out of Winona (MN). Witt ranked as the 693rd recruit nationally, the 31st strong side defensive end (EDGE), and the seventh overall recruit in the state of Minnesota. The defender held offers from Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota, and Oregon State among others.
Witt ultimately came down to a decision between the Badgers, Cyclones, and Hawkeyes. Wisconsin signed Witt, but a shortened 2020 season gave the defender just five games to prove himself on the field. The linebacker ended the season with three tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble while primarily serving as a back-up for the Badgers.
Wisconsin Badgers’ Outside Linebacker Aaron Witt to Return to Program for the 2026 Season
Unfortunately for the linebacker, injuries took away both the 2021 and 2022 seasons as well as a portion of the 2023 season. Witt played in the regular season finale against the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the LSU Tigers in the ReliaQuest Bowl. The linebacker recorded a tackle against LSU which was his first since the 2020 season.
During the 2024 season, Witt played in 11 games for the Badgers and started five games for the first time in his career. The linebacker ended the season with a career-high 28 tackles which included a five tackle performance against Alabama and three solo tackles against USC.
Witt returned to Wisconsin this past season as a super senior with a difficult room to break into given the success of Darryl Peterson, Mason Reiger, and Corey Walker. The linebacker played in all 12 games for the Badgers, including five starts throughout the season. Witt recorded 13 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a sack while playing 165 total snaps on defense.
Following the completion of the season, the future for the linebacker was rather uncertain as an additional year of eligibility would need to be granted. However with his inclusion in the initial 2026 roster, Witt appears to be staying in Madison for his final seventh season on the field.
The linebacker should bring plenty of experience next season as the Badgers will have plenty of new faces on the team across the board. Witt has become somewhat of an anomaly in the current landscape of collegiate sports given his long spanning commitment to the Wisconsin program. The linebacker knows the program better than anyone and his veteran presence should be a positive one around the team.
For More Great Wisconsin Sports Content
Follow me on Twitter (X) @JarrettGuerrera, and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on all things Wisconsin sports, click here
