Which Wisconsin Badgers helped their NFL Draft stock at Pro Day?
Which Wisconsin football players helped their NFL Draft stock at Pro Day? A look at the Badgers who turned heads inside the McClain Center.
The University of Wisconsin football program’s annual Pro Day gave several former players the chance to work out in front of NFL scouts.
For a couple of Badgers, the evaluation process had already started. Former Wisconsin standouts Mason Reiger and Vinny Anthony both earned invitations to the NFL Combine, allowing them the chance to test and meet with teams on one of the league’s biggest pre-draft stages.
But Pro Day is often about everyone else.
It’s the final opportunity for draft hopefuls who didn’t receive that combine invite to get in front of NFL scouts, run through testing numbers, and put their athletic profile on display in a familiar setting, led by the Badgers coaching staff. For some players, it’s confirmation of what teams already believed. For others, it’s a chance to change the conversation.
And every year, a handful of players walk away having helped their stock ahead of the NFL draft and the wave of UDFA signings that follow it.
Austin Brown, safety
Austin Brown is someone who took advantage of the opportunity, and it’s easy to see why Luke Fickell has long been a fan of his potential.
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound safety delivered one of the more impressive testing performances of the afternoon, posting 20 reps on the bench press along with a 4.21 20-yard shuttle, a 4.47 40-yard dash, a 7.05 three-cone drill, a 43-inch vertical, and a 10-foot-9 broad jump, according to numbers provided by Wisconsin team officials.
Put those numbers next to the NFL Combine results, and they stack up well.
Brown’s 20 reps on the bench press would have ranked first among safeties at the scouting combine. His 43-inch vertical would have been sixth among all positions and the top mark among safeties. The 10-foot-9 broad jump would have placed fourth at the position.
Taken together, the performance produced an unofficial Relative Athletic Score of 8.94, according to MathBomb. For a player looking to reinforce his athletic profile in front of scouts, Brown checked a lot of boxes.
Brown also has plenty of Power Four game experience (1,528 career snaps) to point to alongside those testing numbers. He appeared in all 12 games last season and made 12 starts at safety, finishing with 52 tackles, one tackle for loss, and three passes defended.
Even with the strong testing results, Brown said afterward he still felt there was room for more.
“I was disappointed in my 40, but it is what it is,” Brown said. “I think overall I had a pretty good day. It was nice to be back at home and be with the boys again. I just know I can run faster. I’m not satisfied by any means, but I’m happy with my performance. My vertical — did really good. I wanted to get another inch or two, but you can only get so much.”
When asked what Brown believes he brings to the next level, the Illinois native pointed to the versatility he developed during his time in Madison, including experience at both safety spots, nickel, and special teams — traits that, combined with his testing numbers, could give him an outside chance at hearing his name called in April or at least make him a priority UDFA.
“I feel like versatility is one of my best strengths,” Brown said. “I’ve played both safety spots, I’ve played dime, and I started my junior year at nickel. I played every special team, so versatility is something I can really hang my hat on.”
Dekel Crowdus, receiver
Dekel Crowdus didn’t do much to help his stock on the field during his time at Wisconsin. He appeared in nine games during his lone season playing for the Badgers, logged 30 offensive snaps, and finished with one reception and three carries for 26 yards. But at Pro Day, he turned heads.
Crowdus, who began his career at Kentucky and later played at Hawaii before transferring to UW, turned in one of the more impressive athletic showings of the day, posting an 11-foot-1 broad jump, a 4.28-second 20-yard shuttle, a 4.37 40-yard dash, a 6.93 three-cone drill, and a 40.5-inch vertical.
Those marks would have compared favorably with many of the results posted by receivers at the NFL Combine.
Crowdus’ broad jump would have been tied for seventh among all players at the combine and tied for third among wide receivers. His 20-yard shuttle would have ranked tied for third among receivers, while the 40.5-inch vertical would have checked in sixth at the position.
That kind of testing performance is a big deal for a player who entered Pro Day completely off the draft radar. Crowdus had a limited impact during his final season at Wisconsin despite flashes of big-play ability earlier in his career, and his lean frame and modest production made him a long-shot UDFA at best.
Pro Day gave him the platform to put his athletic traits on display, and the results were the kind that can at least get scouts to take a second look as a potential slot or return specialist.
Nyzier Fourqurean, cornerback
Nyzier Fourqurean didn’t get the kind of final season he hoped for.
The 6-foot-1 cornerback from Ohio spent the 2025 season caught in an eligibility dispute that ultimately kept him off the field, a frustrating situation for a player who had already proven himself as one of the more reliable defensive backs in Wisconsin’s secondary the season prior.
In 2024, Fourqurean started all 12 games at cornerback and finished with 51 total tackles — the third-most among Big Ten corners — along with 17 defensive stops, six pass deflections, and an interception.
Without a full season of new tape for scouts to evaluate, Pro Day became Fourqurean’s chance to make his case to evaluators at the next level.
Fourqurean posted 16 reps on the bench press, ran a 4.10-second 20-yard shuttle, a 4.64 in the 40-yard dash, and recorded a 6.84 three-cone drill. He also turned in a 35.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot-1 broad jump.
When those numbers are stacked against the results from the NFL Combine, a few of them stand out.
Fourqurean’s 4.10 shuttle would have ranked first among cornerbacks at the scouting combine. His 6.84 three-cone drill also would have finished first at the position, while his 16 bench press reps would have been tied for third among corners.
The former DII All-American at Grand Valley State may not be viewed as a likely draft selection, but the testing numbers at least gave scouts something to consider. With his size, Big Ten starting experience, and strong change-of-direction testing, he profiles as the type of player who could earn a training camp invite or undrafted free agent opportunity as NFL teams round out their secondary depth heading into training camp.
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