Wisconsin landed its first transfer addition of the portal season Sunday with the commitment of former Syracuse linebacker Leon Lowery. Here’s what you need to know:

  • Lowery finished his redshirt sophomore season with 46 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and a fumble recovery. He has appeared in 27 career games with 14 starts and has two years of eligibility remaining.
  • His coach at Syracuse, Dino Babers, was fired Nov. 19, which allowed him to enter the portal early. Lowery subsequently tweeted about scholarship offers from six schools: Wisconsin, Oregon State, Baylor, Houston, Georgia Tech and Cal. Lowery said the only school he visited was Wisconsin. He was on campus from Friday to Sunday before committing to the Badgers.
  • Lowery, who is from Elizabeth, N.J., was listed this season at 6 feet 4 and 239 pounds.

Badgers fans stand up!!!!!!! #committed @BadgerFootball pic.twitter.com/Dipb52v5Dp

— Leon Lowery Jr (@leonlowery5) December 3, 2023

What does this mean for Wisconsin?

It was clear during the season that Wisconsin’s defense needed more playmakers, and the hope is that Lowery can provide that type of lift. Lowery is joining the program as an outside linebacker at a time when the Badgers are losing two-year starter C.J. Goetz. Lowery started all 12 games for Syracuse this season.

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Lowery said his best attributes are the effort and energy with which he plays. He said Wisconsin outside linebackers coach Matt Mitchell liked his size and length, as well as his ability to play in space and rush the passer off the edge. The only returning outside linebackers with experience are Darryl Peterson, Jeff Pietrowski and Kaden Johnson. Peterson (497 snaps) and Pietrowski (260 snaps) are the only outside linebackers coming back who have played more than 35 snaps this season.

“I see what coach (Luke) Fickell is doing,” Lowery said. “He’s a winning coach. You can see what he did with Cincinnati. He turned a not good football program into competing for a national title. I just believe in him. Just their interest into me, they made me feel as family.

“I could tell that they don’t want me — they needed me. They want me to come there and they want to develop me, and that’s what I like. I just want to be there. I want to be a part of that mentality with my position coach and just get to work.”

Lowery said he came away from his campus visit impressed with the direction of Wisconsin’s program. Although he initially had visits lined up to see other schools, he called the decision to commit to the Badgers “a no-brainer.” Lowery said he expects to be move in by the end of December, in time for offseason workouts that begin after the team’s bowl game.

“I was talking to the coaches over the phone, but you don’t want to make any decisions until you see the campus, talk to the people, meet the players,” Lowery said. “So when I got there, I just felt like it was family and they made me feel welcome from the day I stepped in.

“They’re a very organized program, beautiful facilities and you can just see they’ve got a goal. They just want to win football games, and that’s what I like. And I feel like they can develop me more as a player.”

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(Photo: David Jensen / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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