North Dakota State safety Cole Wisniewski missed the entire season with a foot injury, but the last time he suited up, he received FCS All-American honors. Now opting to enter the transfer portal, which teams make the most sense for the star defender?
Where Will Cole Wisniewski Transfer?
A Wisconsin native, Wisniewski committed to NDSU ahead of the 2020 campaign … as a linebacker. Not only did he play all 10 regular-season games as a true freshman, but he started playoff bouts against Eastern Washington and Sam Houston.
He saw even more snaps in 2021, playing 15 games and starting two. However, he missed the first seven games of 2022 due to injury, stunting his growth.
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Then, 2023 happened.
Wisniewski transitioned to safety and absolutely dominated, racking up 92 tackles and tying Missouri Valley Football Conference and NDSU single-season records with eight interceptions.
Unfortunately, Wisniewski’s 2024 season never got off the ground after he underwent foot surgery in August, effectively sidelining him for the year. It seemed as though he attempted to suit up toward the end of the regular season, but instead of aiding the Bison’s playoff push, Wisniewski announced his intention to enter the portal — a decision that clearly rubbed NDSU head coach Tim Polasek the wrong way.
Couple more takeaways from Coach Polasek’s Press Conference today: First up, his response to All-American Safety Cole Wisniewski entering the Transfer Portal. pic.twitter.com/TB6B4Uziq4
— Devin Fry (@FryTheSportsGuy) December 3, 2024
Regardless, Polasek is on to preparing his team for a second-round duel with Abilene Christian, and Wisniewski is entertaining potential suitors. Speaking of…
Kansas State Wildcats
The first potential landing spot is a pure connection play. Kansas State Wildcats head coach Chris Kleiman led the Bison to five FCS titles in six years. But it goes further than that. Kleiman’s son, Devin, is NDSU’s current safeties coach.
K-State is also a great schematic pick, as the defense deploys its DBs all over the field (deep safety, in the box, and in the slot). At 6’4″ and 218 pounds with a linebacker background, Wisniewski would be an excellent addition next to VJ Payne.
Iowa Hawkeyes
If there’s one thing the Iowa Hawkeyes are known for — outside of putting — is trotting out a vaunted defense year in and year out. Wisniewski fits their mold of defender with impressive size, ball skills, ability to play from depth, and open-field tackling.
Xavier Nwankpa, Koen Entringer, Zach Lutmer, and Wisniewski in the same defensive backfield? Yes, please!
USC Trojans
All of Wisniewski’s success came under former head coach Matt Entz, who is the assistant HC/LBs coach for the USC Trojans. A reunion could be best for both sides, especially if Wisniewski believes his future is at the second level.
Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones are no stranger to the NDSU pipeline, earning a commitment from WR Eli Green last year.
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The secondary is routinely among the best in the Big 12. Head coach Matt Campbell has just two losing seasons in his nine-year stint. The Cyclones are coming off their best regular-season outing ever, winning 10 games for the first time.
What’s not to like?
Wisconsin Badgers
Wisniewski screams Big Ten defender, so why not play for the hometown Wisconsin Badgers? Head coach Luke Fickell desperately needs to turn his tenure around after a 5-7 campaign, and securing Wisniewski’s services will certainly aid his efforts.
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