Former Badgers Stud's NFL Comeback Suddenly Cut Short

Wisconsin Badgers fans were excited to see standout cornerback Faion Hicks get signed by the Cleveland Browns last week. 

Hicks spent five years at the University of Wisconsin and played a large part on the 2021 team that had one of the best defenses in the nation. The Badgers were ranked fourth in opponent points (16.2) and opponents passing yards (174.3).

However, Hicks’ tenure didn’t last long with the Browns as he was waived on Thursday as the team signed long snapper Rex Sunahara.

It’s been an interesting journey for the former Badger cornerback as he was selected in the seventh round in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Hicks didn’t play much in his rookie season with the Broncos, only suiting up in two games.

The former Wisconsin standout was waived by the Broncos last summer but was signed by the New Orleans Saints not too long after. The Saints kept Hicks on the practice squad for the entire 2023 season before releasing him in June.

A player of Hicks’ caliber, who was selected in the seventh round, will be viewed as a training camp guy. With many teams having an abundance of cornerback depth, it will be tough for the former Wisconsin defender to land a spot on the 53-man roster or the practice squad.

However, the good news for Hicks is that we are still in the early stages of the preseason, so with teams always reshuffling their rosters, he could find his way back to Cleveland or sign with another team.

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