The Wisconsin Badgers football staff has had their hands full lately with both 2024 recruits, and the NCAA transfer portal. One specific transfer has been the primary target for the Badgers the past few weeks. Former Boston College standout defensive back Josh DeBerry recently named his final four schools and included Wisconsin in his list. DeBerry is primed to commit soon, and he should have an instant impact on any program.
Wisconsin Badgers Football Target Defensive Back Josh DeBerry
Wisconsin has been working hard to improve every position group on the field ahead of the 2023 season. One such group has been the secondary, where the Badgers are eager to showcase one of the best rooms in the country. Wisconsin has already added fellow Boston College transfer Jason Maitre to their secondary and now hopes to land his former teammate. However, he may not be as easy to land as the Badgers had once hoped.
Josh DeBerry is a former starter for the Boston College Eagles, recording 30 plus solo tackles and at least one interception in three consecutive seasons. DeBerry has the ability to come down from roaming the middle of the field to make tackles in the run game. The defensive back is also able to glue himself to offenses in coverage, allowing limited completions the last two seasons especially.
While DeBerry has had plenty of success, Boston College on the other hand has not. The Eagles struggled their way to a 3-9 record with one point wins over Louisville and North Carolina State. DeBerry has played for a struggling program throughout his career, and with another season of eligibility he hopes to find success.
As a graduate transfer, DeBerry entered the portal rather late, after the massive flurry of moves across the NCAA had already been completed. The talented defensive back has made it known he wants to move on to a more successful program for the upcoming season.
So far through his recruiting, DeBerry has taken multiple surprise visits to speak to different staff members from different schools. The final four for DeBerry are the Wisconsin Badgers, Texas A&M Aggies, Ole Miss Rebels, and Arkansas Razorbacks. Thus far, the Aggies and Rebels have led the charge for DeBerry as each program heavily recruits the defensive back to join their school.
2023 NCAA Football Transfer Rankings: Where the Badgers Stand
Wisconsin has worked hard to land DeBerry, but the biggest recruiter for the defensive back has been Jason Maitre. The former teammates have both left the Boston College Eagles to find more successful avenues for the upcoming 2023 season. Both Maitre and DeBerry are experienced defensive backs who can cover multiple positions and provide a new level of versatility in the secondary.
Currently, in the 2023 NCAA football transfer rankings, the Wisconsin Badgers sit in the 16th position for their transfer class. Maitre ranks as the ninth overall transfer for the Badgers, and adding DeBerry as well will certainly boost their class standing. Wisconsin will have to make up some ground in order to land the defensive back after his recruiting took a turn. With the Aggies and Razorbacks currently leading the way, it could be a tough road ahead if the Badgers want to land DeBerry.
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