Former Wisconsin wideout earns pair of NFL rookie minicamp invites
Former Wisconsin wide receiver Jayden Ballard earned rookie minicamp invitations from the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans Saturday. Ballard declared for the 2026 NFL Draft on Jan. 15, following a single season as a member of Luke Fickell's program.
With Wisconsin, the former blue-chip recruit totaled seven catches for 150 yards and two scores as a member of the nation's No. 132-ranked pass offense. Before joining UW, Ballard ignited his collegiate tenure with the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2021.
At the time of his signing, 247Sports considered the four-star the No. 55 overall player and No. 4 wide receiver in the nation.
But during his stint at OSU, the Massillon, Ohio, product notched 11 catches for 177 receiving yards and one score across 35 games from 2021-2024. Congrats to @J_Ball21 on earning a rookie minicamp invite from the @Colts and the @Titans ! pic.
twitter. com/sRjWkyMPt0 ā Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) April 26, 2026 While he wasn't signed or drafted, Ballard will now look to prove his worth on teams with relatively limited wide receiver units. The Titans figure to be led by former Buckeye Carnell Tate, while the Colts will lean on former Cincinnati Bearcat Alec Pierce.