Wisconsin has one less quarterback on its roster.

Redshirt sophomore Nick Evers announced Saturday he was entering the transfer portal when it opens next week.

Thank You Madison ❤️ pic.twitter.com/040guzpm9I

— nicco (@NickEvers12) April 13, 2024

Evers was the first major piece added for coach Luke Fickell out of the transfer portal in late December of 2022. He was a top-10 quarterback coming out of high school and spent his first season at Oklahoma. With a big arm and electric running ability, it seemed Evers would be the future for the Badgers, but weeks after he committed, the team brought in Tanner Mordecai as the 2023 starter and added Braedyn Locke as another body in the room.

From the jump, Locke was the clear No. 2 behind Mordecai and Evers never truly made a run at serious playing time. Even when Mordecai got hurt, pushing Locke into the starting spot, it was Myles Burkett as the backup. One big problem, and something that Evers agreed with, was his lack of preparedness last spring. It appeared he had taken some strides both on the mental side and in his mechanics this spring but the Texas native was still — at best — the No. 3 quarterback and was being pushed — if not overtaken — by true freshman Mabrey Mettauer.

The Badgers are now down to Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke, Locke, Mettauer and redshirt freshman Cole LaCrue as scholarship players in the QB room. It’s possible they could add another quarterback in the portal, though finding someone to come in without a guarantee to compete for the starting job isn’t an easy sell at this point in the calendar.

The transfer portal opens for two weeks on April 16. Players have to be in the portal before May 1, but there is no deadline for them to choose a new team.