Jayden Ballard will remain in the Big Ten for his final season of college football.
The former Ohio State wide receiver announced Wednesday that he has committed to Wisconsin, where he will play for former Ohio State defensive lineman and assistant coach Luke Fickell.
BREAKING: Ohio State transfer WR Jayden Ballard has Committed to Wisconsin, @on3sports has learned
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 18, 2024
The 63 200 WR will have 1 year of eligibility remaining
Was ranked as a Top 70 Recruit (No. 10 WR) in 21 per On3https://t.co/JLENYWX4gS pic.twitter.com/yAG7fAkcue
In four seasons with the Buckeyes, Ballard made 35 appearances and collected 11 catches for 177 yards and one touchdown. He also made an impact on special teams, returning 11 punts for 63 yards and three kickoffs for 23 yards.
This season, the Massillon, Ohio, native and No. 55 overall prospect in the 2021 class was buried on the wide receiver depth chart behind Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, Jeremiah Smith and Brandon Inniss.
With five-star freshman Mylan Graham and several talented pass-catchers arriving in the 2025 class, including Quincy Porter, Bodpegn Miller, De'Zie Jones and Phillip Bell, there was no guarantee Ballard would receive playing time in the final year of his collegiate career.
Ballard will look to carve out a role for himself at Wisconsin in 2025. Fickell recently replaced offensive coordinator Phil Longo with former Kansas playcaller Jeff Grimes. He also brought in former Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. to lead the Badgers' offense.
