Tag: Jaheim Thomas

Three Wisconsin Badgers land on The Athletic’s top 100 transfers list

Three Wisconsin Badgers land on The Athletic’s top 100 transfers list

The Wisconsin football team added a ton of talent in the transfer portal following the 2023 season and The Athletic included three Badgers players in their top 100 transfers.

Linebacker John Pius came in as the highest-ranked Wisconsin addition, coming in as the No. 29 overall transfer. Pius transferred to Madison in the offseason after three seasons at William & Mary, most recently recording 53 total tackles, including 9.0 sacks, during the 2023 campaign. Wisconsin struggled to get to the opposing quarterback last year and Pius will look to help change that in 2024.

The next Badger to appear on the list is quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who was announced as the team’s starter last week. Van Dyke was listed as the No. 35 overall transfer, joining Wisconsin after compiling 7,469 passing yards and 54 touchdowns over three seasons as the starter with Miami.

Finally, right behind Van Dyke, interior linebacker Jaheim Thomas was listed as the No. 36 overall transfer. Thomas spent the first three years of his collegiate career under head coach Luke Fickell at Cincinnati, before registering 90 total tackles, including 6.5 sacks, with Arkansas in 2023. Now reunited with Fickell and defensive coordinator Mike Tressel in Madison, Thomas will attempt to take another step up with the Badgers.

13 Wisconsin Badgers crack 2025 Senior Bowl watch list

13 Wisconsin Badgers crack 2025 Senior Bowl watch list

13 Wisconsin Badgers cracked the 2025 Senior Bowl watch list on Wednesday.

The 12th annual list includes 859 prospects from 180 programs across the country. The number usually dwindles to 110 players at the annual Feb. 1 contest in Mobile, Alabama, the home of the University of South Alabama.

On the offensive side, Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, wide receiver Will Pauling and running Chez Mellusi made the cut. Offensive linemen Jack Nelson, Joe Huber, Riley Mahlhan and Jake Renfro also represent UW’s offensive line on the list.

Defensively, linebacker Jaheim Thomas, outside linebacker John Pius, defensive lineman James Thompson Jr., defensive back RJ Delancy III, safety Hunter Wohler and cornerback Ricardo Hallman were listed as well.

Historically, the game format rosters its participants regionally into North and South teams. Since 2021, the bowl moved to American and National team designations with coaching staffs typically handpicked from two lower-ranked NFL teams.

Serving as somewhat of a post-season college football all-star bout, the Senior Bowl aims to showcase NFL Draft prospects who have finalized their college eligibility. NFL Network will broadcast the battle this winter.

One-on-one interview with Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Jaheim Thomas

One-on-one interview with Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Jaheim Thomas

The Wisconsin Badgers football team is two weeks away from their season opener against Western Michigan on Aug. 30. In that time, Arkansas transfer linebacker Jaheim Thomas is gearing up for his first year in Madison.

Thomas, a redshirt senior, transferred to Wisconsin in January after spending the 2023 campaign with the Razorbacks, recording 90 total tackles, 3.5 sacks and two pass deflections over 12 games.

Prior to ending up at Arkansas, the linebacker spent the first three years of his collegiate career at Cincinnati under current Badgers head coach Luke Fickell and defensive coordinator Mike Tressel.

“Not a lot has changed. We have got a lot more intense since I’ve been here. That’s one thing I like. Makes sure guys are on their toes every single day, you have to bring it every single day,” Thomas explained.

The Badgers’ defense struggled to get pressure on the quarterback in 2023, finishing the season with 29.0 total team sacks, which ranked tied for 56th in the nation. Thomas believes that the team has committed to raising their sack numbers in 2024.

“That’s what we pride ourselves on. That’s one thing that when I got here, I talked to guys like DP (Darryl Peterson), John (Pius), Leon (Lowery),  Aaron Witt. We want to get to the quarterback, we want to have a whole lot more sacks this year,” Thomas said.

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Wisconsin will open their season by hosting Western Michigan (Aug. 30) and South Dakota (Sept. 7) before they’ll face a major test with Alabama coming to town Sept. 14.

Report: Wisconsin football to again host fall camp at UW-Platteville

Report: Wisconsin football to again host fall camp at UW-Platteville

The Wisconsin Badgers football program will again host its fall training camp at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville this year. It is part of a three-year deal between the two schools, according to a report from NBC 15’s Mike Jacques.

Luke Fickell and his Wisconsin squad will travel west to launch their fall camp in Platteville in early August, with an open practice scheduled for Saturday, August 10. The Badgers held their fall camp at the Pioneers’ facilities in 2023 and will now do so for at least a few more years.

Wisconsin is entering the second season with Luke Fickell and his staff in charge in Madison and they will look to build off of a 7-6 campaign from 2023.

Many expected the Badgers to simply just hit the ground running and elevate to the upper echelon of collegiate programs once Fickell arrived, but things take time and Wisconsin added a ton of reinforcements in the transfer portal this offseason, including linebackers Leon Lowery (Syracuse), Jaheim Thomas (Arkansas) and John Pius (William & Mary).

Thomas reunites with old coach at Wisconsin

Recently departed linebacker Jaheim Thomas decided on Wisconsin as his destination on Thursday.

Jaheim Thomas, who recently entered the transfer portal from Arkansas, has already decided on his newest destination.

Thomas, a linebacker, chose Wisconsin, where he will play for Luke Fickell, who was his coach at Cincinnati when the Bearcats made a run to the College Football Playoff during the 2021 season.

His position coach at Cincinnati also followed Fickell to Madison, so Thomas will reunite with him as well.

The 6-4, 240-pounder led Arkansas with 90 tackles in 2023 but fell out of favor with the defensive coaching staff allegedly.

He was a member of the Bearcats from 2020-22 and will likely be a fit playing in the Big Ten.

Kenny Guiton, Arkansas’ ex-wide receivers coach and interim offensive coordinator, also decided to head to Wisconsin this offseason.

Wisconsin lands big-time former SEC transfer portal linebacker

Wisconsin lands big-time linebacker in the transfer portal

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell and his staff continue their strong work in the transfer portal. Today the program received a commitment from former Arkansas linebacker Jaheim Thomas, its 10th portal commitment this offseason.

Thomas is fresh off a 90-tackle, 6.5 tackle-for-loss, 3.5-sack 2023 campaign with the Razorbacks. He previously played three years under Fickell at Cincinnati, which makes this connection easy to make.

The Cincinnati, Ohio native is ranked as a three-star transfer, the No. 184 player in the portal and the No. 13 linebacker.

Thomas is Wisconsin’s fourth commitment at the position, inside plus outside, in the portal this offseason. The need was clear after starter Jordan Turner transferred to Michigan State and starter Maema Njongmeta entered the NFL Draft. It also furthers the trend of Fickell and Tressel looking for players who fit their specific system, one that is different than what the staff took over after last season.

Wisconsin’s portal class will rank in the top 20 after this commitment. Pair that with a high school class ranked No. 26, and we’re looking at an impressive infusion of talent entering 2024.

Linebacker Jaheim Thomas enters transfer portal

Cincinnati transfer linebacker Jaheim Thomas is only going to spend a year in Fayetteville, as he elected to hit the transfer portal on Saturday.

An already thin linebacker room continues to take hits this winter.

Jaheim Thomas, who transferred to Arkansas from Cincinnati last spring, elected to get in the portal on Saturday.

Thomas, 6-4, 240, was the Razorbacks’ leading tackler in 2023 and started 10 games while playing in all 12.

He joins Jordan Crook, Christopher Paul Jr. and Mani Powell as linebackers who have entered the portal since it opened on December 4.

Xavian Sorey Jr. of Georgia is a linebacker who will be counted on immediately to contribute with all of these losses.

Arkansas also gained another linebacker transfer in Brooks Yurachek from Wake Forest, the son of athletic director Hunter.

The Razorbacks will be searching for more in the portal most likely as it winds down.

Arkansas at Florida: Players To Watch on Saturday

Arkansas will try to snap its six-game losing streak Saturday in the Swamp.

Reeling from a six-game losing streak, Arkansas (2-6, 0-5 SEC) will have a new play-caller to replace the ousted Dan Enos, as wide receivers coach Kenny Guiton was elevated to offensive coordinator following the Hogs’ 7-3 Homecoming loss to Mississippi State on Oct. 21.

It will be the former Ohio State quarterback’s first shot at coordinating at the Division I level, but the team seems to have embraced the change over the recent bye week. After Guiton spent four seasons under former Arkansas OC Kendall Briles, it is likely that the offense will revert, and look similar to what it has the previous three seasons.

Quarterback KJ Jefferson will probably have more freedom to improvise at a faster tempo, and should get a boost by the probable return of All-SEC running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders to the backfield.

Florida (5-3, 3-2 SEC) has split its last four games and is coming off of a 43-20 loss to No. 1 Georgia, but has ridden the arm of junior quarterback Graham Mertz all season long.

Here are 11 players to watch in Saturday’s showdown in Gainesville:

Mississippi State at Arkansas: Players to Watch on Saturday

Arkansas and Mississippi State will each be battling for their first SEC win of the season on Saturday.

Something must give Saturday inside Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, as two of the four remaining teams yet to win an SEC game, will go head-to-head.

It will be the first time in five weeks that the Razorbacks (2-5, 0-4 SEC) will be playing on their home turf, as they look to snap a five-game losing streak.

Mississippi State (3-3, 0-3 SEC) will also come limping in, losing three of their last four, but are fresh off of a 41-28 win over Western Michigan.

The game will feature two quarterbacks who had high expectations entering the season, but who have both struggled to have success in SEC games. Arkansas’ KJ Jefferson was voted second-team All-SEC in the coaches preseason poll, while Mississippi State’s Will Rogers was the third-team selection.

The game will also showcase the conference’s top three tacklers, in Razorback linebacker Jaheim Thomas, the conference leader, and Bulldogs’ linebackers Nathaniel Watson and Jett Johnson.

Here are 12 Players to Watch in Saturday’s showdown:

KJ Jefferson proves he’s still Arkansas’ best, named Player of the Game vs Alabama

Arkansas would actually be one of those bad teams its most angry fans think if it weren’t for KJ Jefferson.

KJ Jefferson’s 2023 season has not gone to plan. The preseason second-team All-SEC pick was even a dark horse pick for All-American honors by season’s end. Arkansas’ struggles through its first seven games have all but eliminated those.

But more important to Jefferson and his teammates is what the Razorbacks do on the field, as opposed to the plaudits earned off it. And even in Saturday’s loss against Alabama, proof was positive that Jefferson, a three-starter and fifth-year senior, is the best man to lead the Hogs on the field, earning our top selection as Arkansas’ Player of the Game.

Joining him were kicker Cam Little, running back AJ Green, linebacker Jaheim Thomas and defense end Landon Jackson.

Check out more on each of their performances below as the selections from editor E. Wayne and contributors Steve Andrews, Connor Goodson and Derek Oxford come in.