Nyzier Fourqurean faces renewed concern around his eligibility to play for Wisconsin this season after an appeals court overturned the lower-court ruling to grant him a fifth season of eligibility in 2025.

The cornerback and returning starter for the Badgers played his first two seasons at Division II Grand Valley State, and argued successfully to follow the precedent set when Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia was permitted to strike his one season at the junior college level.

The majority opinion in the 2-1 appellate court decision said Fourqurean did not adequately show the NCAA’s denial of his December 2024 waiver request “failed to show some likelihood that the (NCAA’s) Five-Year Rule constitutes an unreasonable restraint of trade.”

“We do not exclude the possibility that on a fuller record, Fourqurean will succeed in establishing his claim. We also recognize that the 2025-26 college football season begins soon. In this context, we encourage the parties and the district court to expediate the coming litigation.”

Fourqurean started every game for Wisconsin last season, recording 51 tackles and one interception.

A two-year UW starter who was projected to enter the 2025 campaign as one of Wisconsin’s starters in the secondary, Fourqurean, who played 25 games in two seasons at GVSU, passed on the chance to enter the 2025 NFL Draft and a district judge granted his injunction in February to play a third season for the Badgers this fall.

–Field Level Media