A sixth-year Wisconsin nose tackle who turned 33 bench press reps at his pro day into an undrafted free agent shot with the Giants.
Ben Barten spent six seasons in Madison before signing with the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2026. The Stratford, Wisconsin native built his reputation as a run-stuffing interior lineman who also made a habit of getting his hands up at the line of scrimmage, and now he is fighting for a spot on New York's defensive line.
Path to the league
Barten was a three-star recruit out of Stratford, Wisconsin in the 2020 class who committed to the Badgers over Iowa. He redshirted early and worked his way into the rotation over a six-year career, eventually starting all 12 games for Wisconsin in his final season in 2025.
Career highlights
Across his time at Wisconsin, Barten piled up 63 combined tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 8 pass deflections and 2 fumble recoveries from the interior defensive line. He also developed a knack for getting penetration on special teams, blocking multiple kicks during his college career.
2025 season recap
Barten closed out his Wisconsin career in 2025 as a full-time starter on the defensive interior, then boosted his draft stock at the Badgers' pro day by putting up 33 reps on the bench press, a number that would have tied for second among all positions at that year's NFL Scouting Combine. He went unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft and signed with the Giants as an undrafted free agent.
Sources
- ESPN: Ben Barten
- SI/Onsi: New York Giants UDFA Prospect Profile - Ben Barten, Wisconsin
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Defensive Tackle
- Group
- defense
- College
- Wisconsin
- Hometown
- Stratford, WI, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
