Wisconsin starting defensive lineman Curtis Neal announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on Tuesday morning.
Neal becomes the sixth Badger to enter the portal so far, joining QB Cole LaCrue, OLB Leon Lowery, CB Amare Snowden, CB Jonas Duclona and DB Justin Taylor. Similar to his former teammates, Neal’s announcement follows Wisconsin’s closing loss to Minnesota.
“After much thought and reflection, I’ve decided I’ll be entering my name in the transfer portal with two years of eligibility remaining,” Neal wrote on X. “This has not been an easy decision, as my time here at Wisconsin has been nothing short of incredible. Thank you Badger Nation!”
The defensive lineman signed with the Badgers as a three-star recruit in the class of 2022. He committed to the program in December 2021, roughly one year before Luke Fickell assumed head coaching responsibilities.
After much thought and reflection, I’ve decided I’ll be entering my name in the transfer portal with two years of eligibility remaining. This has not been an easy decision, as my time here at Wisconsin has been nothing short of incredible. Thank you Badger Nation!
— Curtis Neal (@CurtisNeal97) December 3, 2024
Neal was a bright spot on the Badgers’ defensive this season. As a redshirt sophomore, he registered 30 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack in 2024.
From 2022-2024, Neal totaled 46 tackles and five tackles for loss in 29 career games in Madison. He now leaves a major void on Wisconsin’s defensive line. This is unquestionably the Badgers’ most significant transfer portal loss so far.
Neal will certainly not be the last Badger to enter the transfer portal. For updates on Wisconsin’s full list of incoming and outgoing transfers, bookmark our 2024 transfer portal tracker.