Wisconsin made a significant move in the transfer portal when it reeled in former Ball State tight end Tanner Koziol on Saturday afternoon. The second-ranked tight end in the portal and a four-star prospect as a transfer, Koziol figures to make an instant impact on the Badgers.

The former Cardinal tight end erupted in a breakout 2024 campaign, reeling in 94 catches (fourth in the nation) for 839 yards and eight touchdowns. His 124 targets were a whopping 47 more than any other pass-catcher on Ball State. But Koziol wasn't only a high-volume target, he was highly efficient, reeling in about 73 percent of those targets.

Below, BadgerBlitz.com dives into several plays from Koziol's stellar campaign worth highlighting as we break down what the newest Badger will bring to the table in 2023:

Koziol is listed as 6-foot-7, 237 pounds on Ball State's roster. A somewhat lighter, lankier tight end, he's certainly a receiving option first. Per Pro Football Focus, he lined up in the slot 51 percent of the time this fall, and out wide 9.2 percent of the time.

That's not to say he's a slouch as a run-blocker, as PFF gave him a respectable 64.3 grade in that department. A pass-catching tight end who's a capable blocker is one thing, but how about a pass-catching tight end that can also leap over a defensive back?

The hurdle is the flashy part of this play, but it's also worth noting how easily he sheds an arm tackle after the initial catch. Balance is another thing that came up frequently on Koziol's tape. He should be the most athletic tight end in Nate Letton's room as soon as he steps foot in Madison.

Koziol also started that play by chipping an edge rusher, only to leak out past the blitzing linebackers on a shallow cross.

It is worth noting that this play came against FCS Indiana State, meaning it's fair to assume the athletic ability of the defense is generally lower. Still, not many tight ends move like that regardless of the opponent.

On the next play, you'll see Koziol break more tackles, this time against 2024 MAC champions, Ohio.

This is another example of Koziol making something out of nothing. He catches the drag route essentially at the line of scrimmage, but turns upfield and breaks not one, not two but three tackles before multiple Bobcats finally bring him down.

Again, Koziol is a relatively lighter tight end but that doesn't mean he's easy to tackle. You better go low on him, because defensive backs, especially, just bounce off his upper body.

Because of his athleticism and ability to break tackles, Koziol is special after the catch. He's the kind of athlete defensive backs want nothing to do with in the open field.

Koziol is the kind of player an offensive coordinator designs in the lab when thinking about the red zone. His frame makes him a mismatch for almost any defender you could put on him. Watch him high-point this ball on a play-action concept inside the five yard-line:

The defender never stood a chance. Once again, he starts this play by blocking the defensive back responsible for him in man coverage to sell the play-action. He then quickly flips his hips and searches for the ball, which his quarterback has conveniently placed on the top shelf, where only he can get it.

The defensive back's effort is valiant, but this touchdown was just a clinic in high-pointing the ball. Koziol looks like a center going up for a rebound against a hapless guard. When you have a player like Koziol, he should be square one in the red zone.

Ball State recognized that, and on this next play you'll see another nice design to target the tight end close to the goal line:

Koziol runs a slot fade here out of a four-wide look. His outside receiver runs a rub route to free him up, and once the tight end had that kind of space, you might as well just put the six points on the board already for the Cardinals.

On this touchdown, he didn't have to make a contested catch. The concept freed him up for an easy score. But Koziol will provide the Badgers a luxury here that they haven't had in years: a highly dangerous — and proven — pass catching tight end who's a matchup nightmare, especially in the red zone. Wisconsin was one of the least efficient red zone teams in the country last fall, scoring on 78 percent of its tries and finding the end zone on just 24 out of 41 trips.

Here's another touchdown Koziol scored in the red zone, one that came all too easy for the tight end:

This is about as simple as it gets, but that's what's exciting about adding an athlete like Koziol. The scheme doesn't need to be complex if your receiver is simply better than the opposing defensive back.

Here, Koziol runs a corner route from the slot against man coverage. The defensive back gives him a seven yard cushion and doesn't get a hand on him until the ball arrives, which is way too late. Especially when Koziol has the physical advantage, which is the vast majority of the time, defenders need to try to jam him up or this becomes an easy pitch-and-catch. The ball is thrown perfectly to the outside shoulder, and the result is an easy touchdown.

While Koziol is an athletic specimen, he's still a tight end. He's not going to leave defensive backs in the dust with his blazing speed. But you don't reel in 94 receptions in a season without possessing excellent hands, and that's exactly what shows up on Koziol's tape. Wisconsin's tight ends have hardly been receiving threats in Luke Fickell's tenure, let alone possessed the ability to make combat catches. Enter Koziol:

Here, the defensive back actually plays this well. He gets his hands on the tight end before he can make his break. He stays with him stride for stride, right on his hip. But again, the ball is thrown where only Koziol can catch it. Even with the defensive back wrapped all around his waist, he can't impact the 6-foot-7 target's catch point and Koziol reels it in, hanging on as he hits the turf.

He'll see a lot more physicality in coverage in the Big Ten, but Koziol can make combat catches, especially when boxing out small defensive backs. The next play is a very similar story:

Koziol runs something of a dig route here, finding himself wide open in the middle of the field. However, his quarterback sees it late, which gives the Northern Illinois safety time to break on the route.

The defensive back gets to the tight end before the ball arrives. His timing is off and he doesn't take the greatest angle, but Koziol still has to make the catch with the defender all over him. No matter; he goes high and plucks it out of the air. He's nearly impossible to overthrow, yet another reason why he's a quarterback's best friend.

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