BadgerBlitz.com returns the weekly 'Stock Up, Stock Down' for the 2023 season. In this series, we'll offer evaluations of players on Wisconsin's roster in the context of their 'stock.' Performance, playing time and opportunity are all factored into the movement of a player's stock.

You haven't heard Nyzier Fourqurean's name called all that often this year. Considering he plays cornerback, that's a good thing.

The boundary corner has quietly become a staple of Wisconsin's secondary, and it's fair to wonder what the Badgers' cornerback room would look like without the Grand Valley State transfer in the mix. Fourqurean has played at least 30 snaps in all but three games this season, and he's developing into a reliable outside cover man.

With the front seven failing to generate much in the way of pressure all game against Nebraska, Fourqurean was sent on a cornerback blitz which got home, marking the corner's first sack with the Badgers. We've seen this refrain from Mike Tressel before, as Alexander Smith also has a sack on the season coming from the outside corner spot.

In overtime, Fourqurean made a crucial pass breakup on a throw over the middle that would've moved the sticks for Nebraska. Instead, the corner stayed on the receiver's hips and swatted the ball, setting up a long down-and-distance. Fourqurean has been all Wisconsin could've asked him to be in his first season of Division I football.

When Hunter Wohler went down late in the second half against Nebraska, Wisconsin was forced to make adjustments at the safety position. One of those adjustments was inserting Austin Brown into a much larger role. In fact, the safety tallied 63 snaps, the third-most on defense.

Head coach Luke Fickell described Wohler as the Badgers' "rock" defensively. With the effort, passion and versatility he brings to the field week in and week out, it's easy to see why. But when they needed to replace him, the coaching staff showed a lot of faith in the sophomore safety Brown by giving him all of the work he could handle.

Brown's stats won't jump off the page: he finished with three tackles, and didn't allow a reception the one time he was targeted in coverage. What does jump off the page is the flexibility he displayed. Brown lined up in the box, at free safety, in the slot and even at outside corner for a snap or two. Tressel prefers his safeties to be rather positionless, and Brown appears to fit that mold to a tee.

Preston Zachman continues to have an awfully impressive season, logging significant playing time and making an impact in the process.

The safety of course had the game-clinching interception in overtime, but that was far from the most impressive aspect of his performance. Zachman stepped up big time with Wohler sidelined for the second half.

In the first quarter, with the Huskers already up 7-0, Nebraska tried to execute a double pass play in which quarterback Chubba Purdy was thrown the ball behind the line of scrimmage. Zachman wasn't fooled, and blew up the play for a staggering loss of 10 yards. It's those kinds of instincts that have allowed the safety to play way more than expected at a relatively high level.

It's also worth noting that Zachman nearly had an interception earlier in the game. He essentially ran the receiver's route for him, and Purdy forced the issue. The safety caught the pass and appeared to drag his foot on the sideline, but the play was ruled incomplete.

Tanner Mordecai is so consistently competitive that it becomes desensitizing to watch him put his heart, soul and body on the line week in and week out. Don't let that happen; Mordecai's fire and will to win are special, and it's becoming clear down the stretch that those are his best attributes.

Often, that manifests itself in his rushing output. When there's nothing downfield, Mordecai has no qualms about tucking the football and taking some punishment in order to move the sticks. He put that on full display against Nebraska, running for 51 yards, all of them crucial.

The quarterback's presence on the field simply gives Wisconsin a much better chance to win. He has to carry this largely lethargic offense at times, but he has no issues doing so. There's a reason why he's often referred to by coaches and teammates as the "ultimate competitor."

Good for Quincy Burroughs, who logged his first two catches of the season against Nebraska for a total of 15 yards. His 17 snaps were a season-high, topping the 13 he played the week prior against Northwestern.

Burroughs is a long, physical receiver who gives Wisconsin some size on the perimeter. His involvement may be too little too late to make a true impact this season, but it's still encouraging to see the Cincinnati transfer playing meaningful snaps in the offense. Burroughs is still a very young receiver, and has his whole career in front of him.

There wasn't a whole lot of negative stock movement this week. Still, Rico Hallman gave up Nebraska's second touchdown of the day on a rather inexcusable play.

Hallman was in coverage against Cornhuskers' receiver Jaylen Lloyd on a 2nd-and-20. Purdy laced a pass over the middle, where Lloyd boxed out Hallman for the catch. That's where the play should've ended. But instead of tackling his receiver, Hallman inexplicably went for the hit without wrapping up whatsoever. Lloyd easily escaped and scampered into the end zone for a 58-yard touchdown.

Hallman has been the Badgers' best corner all season, but that was an ugly play. The poor technique from Hallman on the tackle attempt was odd, because technique is one of the corner's best attributes.

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