Joe Brunner

BLOOMINGTON, IN - April 02, 2026 - offensive lineman Joe Brunner #56 of the Indiana Hoosiers during practice at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, IN. Photo By Dani Meersman/Indiana Athletics

Photo by: Dani Meersman/Indiana Athletics

Position:
OL
Ht./Wt.:
6-7 / 313
Year:
Redshirt Senior
Hometown:
Whitefish Bay, Wis.
High School:
Whitefish Bay
Prev School:
Wisconsin

Career Notes & Records
Made 39 appearances with 24 starts over four seasons at Wisconsin and redshirted initial collegiate season ... All 24 starts area at left guard … Collegiate debut came against Illinois State (9/3) in 2022 … Made first collegiate start versus Western Michigan (8/30) in 2024 … Committed only five penalties over 1,541 career snaps … Garnered College Sports Communicators Academic All-District in 2025 … Three-time Academic All-Big Ten.

2025 (Junior Season – Wisconsin)
Season: Started 12 games at left guard ... Posted Pro Football Focus pass blocking grades above 80 in four-straight games (Ohio State, Oregon, Washington, Indiana) … Did not allow a sack across 316 pressure opportunities per PFF … Committed only one penalty over 694 snaps …Earned Academic All-Big Ten.

Awards: Named College Sports Communicators Academic All-District.

2024 (Sophomore Season – Wisconsin)
Season: Started 12 games at left guard ... First collegiate start came against Western Michigan (8/30) in Week 1 … Earned Academic All-Big Ten.

2023 (Redshirt Freshman Season – Wisconsin)
Season: Appeared in all 11 games … Saw time mostly on special teams … Earned Academic All-Big Ten.

2022 (Freshman Season – Wisconsin)
Season: Appeared in four games … Saw time on the offensive line and special teams … Made collegiate debut against Illinois State (9/3).

Prep/Personal
Offensive lineman for head coach Jake Wolter at Whitefish Bay High School … Consensus four-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals … Rated as a top-75 prospect national by ESPN (No. 74) and Rivals (No. 74) … Consensus top-15 interior offensive lineman per 247Sports (No. 14), ESPN (No. 9) and Rivals (No. 9) … Consensus No. 1 prospect in Wisconsin per all three major recruiting services … Earned Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) Joe Thomas Award as the state’s most outstanding senior offensive lineman … Tabbed first-team WFCA all-state as a junior and senior … Also lettered in basketball and track and field … Brother, Tommy, played football for Northern Illinois (2019-20), Wisconsin (2021-23) and Western Illinois (2024).