Former St. Charles East OL Dylan Barrett enters transfer portal

It’s time for the next chapter in Dylan Barrett’s collegiate football career.

Barrett, the former St. Charles East offensive lineman and 2020 graduate, announced on his X account on Nov. 29 he was entering the transfer portal away from Wisconsin.

A redshirt junior who appeared in 13 total games over three seasons, Barrett said he has nothing but fond words to share on his experience in Madison.

“I wouldn’t trade a second of it for the world,” Barrett reflected to Friday Night Drive on Dec. 5. “It truly has been an honor and a pleasure to be a part of this program and have my name on the [Academic all-Big-10] wall. To say I was a Badger; I played for the Badgers, it’s seriously been an honor.”

“From school to football, life on campus, it definitely hasn’t been short of great,” Barrett continued. “No doubt, I learned a lot here for my degree, as far as school goes, but also on the football field. Like, how I can read a defense and the way I’ve been coached by now a lot of different coaches. I wouldn’t trade the knowledge, schemes and game plans I’ve been in. Not to mention: to be able to play, run out on the field in Camp Randall in front of 85,000 people...it really is a dream come true.”

Barrett did confirm he is “fully looking to make a change” and his “options are open”.

Barrett has two offers as of Dec. 6: Western Michigan University and Northern Arizona University, an FCS program. Barrett has maintained contact with programs across the country: Power Five conferences, Mid-American Conference and FCS-level schools.

“I’m looking for a place that has an opportunity for me to be a key contributor and an opportunity for me to compete for a starting spot rather quickly,” Barrett said. “Spending four years at Wisconsin, I’ve played in a couple games, learned a lot, obviously practiced a whole ton and I want to put all that experience on the field and show what I got.”

“[I’m looking for] a program that has that opportunity to take a chance on me, and allows me to show what I got and prove to them I really can be a key contributor on the field.”

Barrett was named Academic All-Big Ten in 2021 and 2022.

“...You can’t play football without the academics and I’ve taken that very seriously,” Barrett said. “Whatever place has that opportunity, both academically and on the field, is the best fit for me.”

Per Max Olson of The Athletic, 1,127 college football players appeared in the portal as of Dec. 4.

“That represents a 44 percent increase from the previous record-setting day of 780 entries on Dec. 5, 2022,” Olson wrote.

With the transfer portal ablaze with players and unprecedented movement on a grand-scale, navigating it is simply Barrett “betting on himself”.

“Knowing what I’ve got, whether I’ve shown it or not on tape (and I’ve had the opportunity to show it yet): I have what I have and I’m betting on myself to show the next place that they won’t waste an opportunity on me,” Barrett said. “[The transfer portal] is definitely a place where there is a lot of unknown due to a lot of factors with Name Image Likeness, [the extra year of eligibility from the pandemic]...it’s definitely a little bit nerve-racking sometimes because you are taking that chance with there being so many names, you never know what happens.”

“...You’re taking a huge chance. Whether the percentage is big or small, there still is a [chance] you never play football again,” Barrett said. “So, you do it because you’re looking for a better opportunity and better chance to make a program shine and contribute to a program that really needs you, too, which is great. I think the guys that use it that way, that’s how it should be used, and that’s definitely the reason why I’m in it and still looking for a place here even though it’s two days into this thing.”