Without Big Ten football this fall following former Badgers in the NFL may be the closest we get to watching Wisconsin Badger football.
Well, one name is now off that list as two days ago the Las Vegas Raiders waived cornerback Nick Nelson, a member of the Badgers in 2017 after transferring from Hawaii.
Former #Badgers CB Nick Nelson waived by Raiders due to a failed physical. One-time fourth-round pick has played in 12 games in two years.
— Dave Heller (@dave_heller) September 1, 2020
As Dave Heller noted above the defensive back played in 12 games in two years for the Raiders after being their fourth-round pick during the 2018 NFL Draft.
His career with the team ends with those 12 games, three starts, one pass defended, one fumble recovery and 20 total tackles, this after he recorded 14 games played, 35 tackles, one tackle-for-loss and 21 passes defended during his one year in Madison.
The talent may be there for Nelson to find another NFL home, but the thing that has held him back more than anything since entering the league has been injuries. If he was healthy at this point and wasn’t placed on the injured reserve back in December he may have made the team, so what-ifs are present here as the defensive back works to get healthy and tries to get another shot with an NFL team.