Former Wisconsin quarterback signs to San Francisco 49ers practice squad

Former Wisconsin quarterback Tanner Mordecai signed to the San Francisco 49ers practice squad on Wednesday.

This move comes after the 49ers released Mordecai earlier this week during an extensive round of roster cuts. The former Badger was unable to supplant Brandon Allen as the team’s third-string QB on the active roster, but he still made a strong enough impression this offseason to remain with the organization.

Mordecai will start on the practice squad after initially joining the 49ers as an undrafted free agent after the 2024 NFL draft.

He performed well in limited preseason action, throwing for 103 yards on 6/10 passing. That strong debut, paired with his top-tier athletic profile, should make him a priority for the 49ers moving forward. While he may not be NFL-ready immediately, the former Badger has the tools to help the organization down the road.

Mordecai is looking to find a stable NFL home after playing just one year for the Badgers (2023). He finished the year with 65% completion, 2,066 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions.

Those numbers came in an abbreviated season due to a broken hand suffered in Wisconsin’s Week 6 loss to Iowa. Mordecai’s 27/40 passing, 378-yard, three-touchdown performance in the team’s ReliaQuest Bowl loss to LSU better represents his ceiling, and what Badgers fans expected to see all season.

Mordecai is now the third former Badger to sign with a team after going undrafted in April. ILB Maema Njongmeta made the Cincinnati Bengals’ 53-man roster, while TE Hayden Rucci signed to the Miami Dolphins practice squad.

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