It is one thing when your best players leave you. It is another when they leave you for your rivals. That is what Wisconsin Badgers football is going through right now.
A third player has decided to join Badgers’ Big Ten rivals Illinois Fighting Illini after Curt Neal and Leon Lowery.
James Thompson Jr., who spent much of 2024 on the injured bay, has joined his former Badgers teammates in Illinois after his former team ended the season on a bad note.
Former Wisconsin defensive lineman James Thompson is expected to transfer to Illinois, @chris_hummer and I have learned for @cbssports/@247sports.
The 6-5, 295-pound Thompson was a multi-year starter at Wisconsin.https://t.co/10Sz3YxlzO pic.twitter.com/LddHkziW6M
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 25, 2024
“Former Wisconsin defensive lineman James Thompson is expected to transfer to Illinois,
@chris_hummer and I have learned for @cbssports @247sports,” college football journalist Matt Zenitz announced.
Thompson Jr. has his best year in 2023 but was not able to play this year due to a pectoral tear. The 2025 will be his final college year.
Wisconsin Badgers football’s defense might have found a replacement
Badgers lost three veteran defenders but Wisconsin fans might find solace in the fact that they are being replaced quick.
The team announced that they have recruited Mukwonago (Wis.) High linebacker Cooper Catalano who is a three-time conference defensive player of the year.
He had a total of 178 tackles, nine TFLs, three forced fumbles, and three interceptions.
Speaking about his game, Catalano described himself as someone who is a team person.
Breaking the tackle record was a really cool thing, but that takes a whole team, a great game plan, a great defensive line all four years. It’s a team effort, but that’s something that stood out to me that I’m very proud of. It’s something I’ll hold onto for a long time.
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