Now that the 2023 College Football regular season has come to a close, all eyes are now on the transfer portal before the College Football Playoff gets underway. Plenty of big names have already submitted their names into the portal, and some have even already decided on their new school. One of those big names to have already done so is former Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who announced that he will transfer to the Wisconsin football program.

This is a big get for the Badgers and second-year head coach Luke Fickell. Van Dyke has been on NFL Draft radars and now they will have him under center for the Badgers in 2023. Van Dyke is coming off a season where he completed a career-high 65.8% of his passes, but also threw a career-high 12 interceptions. But with offensive coordinator Phil Longo's track record of success coaching quarterbacks at Ole Miss (Jordan Ta'amu and Matt Corral) and North Carolina (Sam Howell and Drake Maye) as an offensive coordinator, Van Dyke's play should improve in Madison.

Getting Tyler Van Dyke was huge for the Badgers, but he alone won't vault them back into contention for a College Football Playoff spot. The Badgers need to do more in the transfer portal. The question then becomes: who should the Wisconsin football program pursue in the portal? A couple of players stand out.

Trevor Etienne, Running Back

Florida Gators RB Trevor Etienne has entered the transfer portal.

There might not be a better running back available in the transfer portal than Florida's Trevor Etienne. Etienne has been nothing but efficient since arriving in Gainesville. As a freshman, Etienne ran 6.1 yards per carry and totaled 719 rushing yards. He practically carried that rushing production over in 2023. His efficiency dropped off a tad, but his 5.7 yards per carry is nothing to scoff at either. And he still provided plenty of big plays as well.

Etienne really stepped his game up as a receiver though in 2023. After catching only nine balls for 66 yards in 2022, Etienne leveled up to bringing in 21 receptions that amounted to 172 yards and another touchdown. That touchdown also came on an explosive play.

Wisconsin needs a running back out of the portal badly too. Braelon Allen has already declared for the 2024 NFL Draft and looks poised to become a high draft pick. Chez Mellusi has been a solid change of pace back for the Badgers since arriving from Clemson, but he is now out of eligibility. Etienne would be a tremendous get for the Badgers. Head coach Luke Fickell should try everything in his power to get him to Madison. at the moment, Georgia is the favorite to land Etienne.

Deshawn Pace, Linebacker/Safety

If there's anybody that is in the transfer portal that Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell knows the best, it would be Deshawn Pace. Fickell recruited Pace to Cincinnati while he was the head coach of the Bearcats. Pace was a member of the Cincinnati team that made the College Football Playoff in 2021. Pace has alternated between safety and linebacker for the Bearcats during his career there and all he has done is ball.

2021 was Pace's best season. He posted career highs in total tackles (95) and interceptions (4). Someone of his caliber being able to snuff out the run and make plays in the secondary would be a huge get in the Big Ten, a conference that prides itself on its physicality. Pace would help the Badgers there and then some. He knows Luke Fickell and Luke Fickell knows him. This seems like a perfect fit, and it makes a lot of sense for the Wisconsin football program to target him.