Allen Middleton commits to SIU, Ryan Schwendeman signs with Wisconsin
- Tom Weber
- Jan 4
- 3 min read
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The NCAA transfer portal officially opened for business on Friday and the staff at Southern Illinois has already received its first commitment.
Former Saluki wide receiver Allen Middleton was among Saturday’s on-campus visits and he announced on Sunday afternoon his commitment to return to SIU for the 2026 season.
After a breakout season at Southern in 2024 with 32 catches for 422 yards and two touchdowns, Middleton transferred to FBS Bowling Green. With the Falcons, he played in every game in 2025, mainly as a backup, and caught eight passes.
The Salukis lost their top-three receivers off the 2025 squad to graduation. Vinson Davis III (55 catches), Fabian McCray (39 catches) and Jay Jones (37 catches) combined for 2,009 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns last season.
Earlier today, the agent for SIU tight end Ryan Schwendeman confirmed he has signed with Wisconsin. A year ago, SIU’s backup quarterback, Hunter Simmons, transferred to Wisconsin and ended up starting three games for the Badgers. Former SIU offensive coordinator Blake Rolan is also on the staff at Wisconsin.
Schwendeman played in nine games for the Salukis in 2025, splitting reps with Aidan Quinn. He had 15 catches for 191 yards and two touchdowns on the season, and 28 catches for 327 yards and four touchdowns in his 25-game career at Southern.
More than 5,000 FBS and FCS players have already entered college football’s version of free agency. The portal closes on Jan. 16.
Here’s a breakdown of the status of 11 SIU players who have entered the transfer portal so far, plus a list of potential transfers who have confirmed offers.
