The first wave of roster cuts is beginning, and all the teams will need to get to 53 from 90 before the end of the day. Many Wisconsin Badgers who signed as UDFAs are waiting around to learn their fate. Most will not make a 53-man roster, some will find their way onto practice squads, and others will need to look for other professional football opportunities.
One of the big surprises of the preseason was Nyzier Fourqurean, who literally came out of nowhere, considering he didn't play college football last year, and began to perform both in the Los Angeles Rams training camp and in the preseason games. The Rams just cut one of the players he was fighting with the most for a roster spot: Alzillion Hamilton. That's big news for Fourqurean, though; he's not for sure saved from a cut just yet.
#Rams release Alex Cook, Devean Deal, Tru Edwards, Steven Gilmore, Al'zillion Hamilton, Bryce Henderson, Nikhai Hill_Green, Alex Johnson, Rohan Jones, Nate Valcarel, Dan Villari, Payton Zdroik
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 29, 2026
Fourqurean finished the preseason with 13 total tackles through three games. His final performance may have been his best, with five tackles. He also played a ton of snaps as the Rams are clearly trying to see if he belongs on the team or not. In that third preseason game against the Chargers, he was on the field for 39 snaps. The only DB to get more snaps than him was Hamilton, who is now cut.
Nyzier Fourqurean beat out all the other competition for that final defensive back spot but is it enough?
Related: The 3 most likely former Badger UDFAs to wind up on an NFL 53-man roster
This is an important part of the storyline. Both Hamilton, who was given 42 snaps, and Fourqurean, who was given 39, were clearly competing against each other for at least that first round of cuts. Clearly, the Rams liked Fourqurean's play better in that final game, as Hamilton was waived.
Fourqurean, though, is still competing for a spot; just beating Hamilton is only a small victory, but not the entire battle. According to the LA Times last week, Fourqurean was also up against Zech McPhearson and Hamilton, but there could be more going on depending on how many defensive backs the Rams want to carry.
Now out of those three, Fourqurean is the last man standing. McPhearson was cut last week, and Hamilton yesterday. This leaves Fourqurean, and thus the last hurdle will be: How many defensive backs do the Rams want to carry, and are there any others being waived or cut out there that Los Angeles would want over Fourqurean?
Fourqurean did all he could, battling back from a terrible NCAA court battle that kept him out all of last season. He wasn't even able to play his final season of football, and yet, he stayed in shape and bet on himself. The fact that he's even come this far is an incredible testimony to his resilience, talent, and all-out effort.
This is the kind of stuff the Rams love, and maybe his tenacity and grit, as well as his play, are what keep the Rams on the fence about keeping him with the other 53. Fourqurean will learn his fate by 7 pm CT on Sunday, August 30.
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