By: Michael Higgins

School: Notre Dame

Position: EDGE

HT: 6’5

WT: 260 lbs

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #54

Isaiah Foskey is the most decorated pass rusher not only in this draft class, but in Notre Dame history. He has a tremendous combination of size and athleticism that would be enough to classify him as a freak of nature. Foskey is extremely active with his hands and uses them in a violent manner to deconstruct blocks at the point of attack. While being a big pass rusher, Foskey prefers to use speed to rush the quarterback and get around the edge. He carries his weight in a rare way that makes his speed his most dynamic weapon on the edge. Foskey is primarily used as a rusher, but in a 2-point stance, which helps him leverage his weight and momentum against opposing blockers. He has great natural reaction skills and an innate ability to make a big play behind the line of scrimmage. Yes, Foskey has accomplished great things during his time at Notre Dame, but it is important to note that he is still raw and has plenty of room to grow as a pure pass rusher. In a limited sample size, Foskey also showed an ability to drop back into zone coverage after showing blitz before the snap. Foskey is also a dynamic special teamer as he has added several blocked punts to his collegiate resume.

While there is plenty of good that comes with Foskey, there is also significant room for improvement. At Notre Dame, Foskey has almost solely relied on his speed at the edge to win his pass rushing battles. While he has the size and athleticism to win with power and knock back tackles, he doesn’t know how to hone that and make it a useful tool in his arsenal. His pass rush moves are limited when it comes to breaking down a tackle’s base and invading their space. If he could add a few more reliable moves to his repertoire, he would be a much more complete pass rusher. Relying solely on speed has sometimes forced Foskey to work too far upfield and put himself behind the ball carrier at a less than advantageous position. Lastly, Fosky’s reps against top end tackles were less impressive and he seems to solely prey on inferior competition this past season, I just wish his portfolio against top end talent was more extensive.

Isaiah Foskey is going to bring athleticism to the edge, but most importantly he is going to come with maturity and a great football mind. He opted to stay at Notre Dame for one more season rather than entering the NFL Draft early and it allowed him to polish up his game.

Scheme Fit: Even Front

Ideal Role: Edge Rusher

Best Team Fits: SEA, LAR, CHI

Player Comparison: Jaelan Phillips

Player Grade: 78.9