Former Oklahoma quarterback Nick Evers. STEVE SISNEY / USA TODAY NETWORK

Former Oklahoma QB transfers to Wisconsin

By Eric Smithling | Last updated 12/17/22

Luke Fickell wasted no time improving Wisconsin's depth at QB. Former Oklahoma QB Nick Evers announced he was transferring to Wisconsin on Saturday.

Evers was the ninth-ranked QB prospect out of high school in 2022. Per 247 Sports, he was a four-star recruit out of Flower Mound High School in Texas.

He threw one pass in his freshman season at Oklahoma and was likely to stay behind Dillon Gabriel on the depth chart next season.

Wisconsin's 2022 starter Graham Mertz entered the transfer portal on Dec. 5.

The program is beginning a new era under Fickell, and Evers will be in the running to be the team's next starting QB.

His high school tape shows a prospect dripping with talent.

With the early signing period approaching, we spotlight #Florida commit Nick Evers (@NickEvers12). A dynamic QB who can beat you with his arm & legs. Evers reached a max speed of 19.6 mph on this TD run. #myRAmaxspeed @GatorsFB | @air14football pic.twitter.com/sWsTndTPvV
— Recruiting Analytics (@RAanalytics) December 2, 2021

He has excellent top-end speed for a QB and has a quick release on his throws.

After he committed to Oklahoma last year, Fox Sports college football analyst R.J. Young compared him to Robert Griffin III during his Heisman-winning season.

2022 4-star Oklahoma QB commit Nick Evers looks like 2011 RG3. Good luck with that, SEC. pic.twitter.com/nEMiyDA8T2
— RJ Young (@RJ_Young) December 13, 2021

Fickell comes to Wisconsin after six years as the head coach at Cincinnati. The Bearcats became the first Group of Five team to qualify for the College Football Playoff a season ago.

Fickell was 57-18 as head coach from 2017-22.

Wisconsin's operated on a level below Big Ten rivals Ohio State and Michigan for years now. That's in large part due to the team's struggles to develop elite talent at QB.

Since Russell Wilson's 2011 season, Joel Stave, Alex Hornibrook, Jack Coan and Mertz have been the predominant signal-callers and none could get the team over the hump.

Evers has the opportunity to separate himself as Wisconsin's QB of the future as well as the team's best QB in over a decade.

As good as that sounds to Badgers' fans, Evers could be in line for much more. After all, the last freshman QB who transferred from Oklahoma won the Heisman Trophy a week ago.

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