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Madison Today
By the People, for the People
Wisconsin Looks to Transfer OLB to Fill Mason Reiger's Shoes
Sebastian Cheeks could be the Badgers' next alpha pass-rusher after the departure of star Mason Reiger.
Mar. 17, 2026 at 10:23pm
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With the departure of star pass-rusher Mason Reiger, Wisconsin is looking to transfer Sebastian Cheeks to step up and fill that role for their defense in 2026. Cheeks showed promise as the No. 3 outside linebacker last season, and the Badgers are banking on his game taking another step forward this year as he enters his third season in Madison.
Why it matters
Wisconsin's defense needs to find a new alpha pass-rusher to pressure opposing quarterbacks after losing Reiger, who was a dominant force off the edge last season. Cheeks has the potential to be that next impact player, but he'll need to take his game to the next level for the Badgers' defense to maintain its high level of play.
The details
Cheeks had a 13% pressure rate last season as the No. 3 outside linebacker, which was essentially the same as his 2024 pressure rate across fewer opportunities. If he can bump that up a few percentage points, he'll get closer to the 15% rate and 45 pressures that Reiger had in 2025. The Badgers are counting on Cheeks' experience and talent to translate into him becoming the best and most polished outside linebacker in Matt Mitchell's room.
- Wisconsin's spring practices are scheduled to kick off on March 19, 2026.
- This will be Cheeks' third season in Madison.
The players
Sebastian Cheeks
A transfer from North Carolina who is expected to take over as the starting outside linebacker for Wisconsin in 2026 after showing promise as the No. 3 OLB last season.
Mason Reiger
The star pass-rusher for Wisconsin in 2025 who is now departed, leaving a void that the Badgers need Cheeks to fill.
Matt Mitchell
The outside linebackers coach at Wisconsin who is counting on Cheeks to take a big step forward this season.
Nick Clayton
A true freshman pass-rusher who impressed the coaching staff in spring practice last year and could push for playing time this season.
Liam Danitz
A D-III transfer from Hope College who posted 15 sacks and 21 TFLs in 2025, and will look to translate that production to the Big Ten.
What they’re saying
“I THINK NICK CLAYTON IS IN THAT (CATALANO/POSA) CATEGORY OF PLAYERS.”
— Matt Mitchell, Outside Linebackers Coach
What’s next
The Badgers will be closely monitoring Cheeks' progress and development during spring practices, as they look for him to emerge as the next dominant pass-rusher for their defense.
The takeaway
With the departure of star pass-rusher Mason Reiger, Wisconsin is counting on transfer Sebastian Cheeks to step up and fill that void, but they also have some intriguing young talent like Nick Clayton that could push for playing time as well. The Badgers' ability to develop their next alpha edge rusher will be crucial to the success of their defense in 2026.
