Isaiah Foskey NFL Draft Overview
Position: Edge Defender
Height: 6′-5″
Weight: 264 pounds
School: Notre Dame
2023 NFL Draft: Isaiah Foskey Scouting Report
After spending the past four seasons with the Fighting Irish, Isaiah Foskey has officially declared for the 2023 NFL Draft. The edge defender chose a good time to have a career year, as the previous season was probably his best. Appearing in 12 games, Foskey finished his final collegiate campaign with 44 tackles, 13.5 tackles-for-loss, and 10.5 sacks.
Foskey originally joined the NCAA world prior to the 2019 season but didn’t truly earn a role on the defense until 2020. Playing as a rotational pass rusher, the edge defender finished his sophomore season with 20 tackles, five tackles-for-loss, and 4.5 sacks. He earned a full-time starting job as a Junior, recording 52 tackles, 9.5 tackles-for-loss, and 10 sacks in 13 games.
Strengths
- Fast off the snap with the speed to blow past tackles and get after the quarterback;
- Long arms allow him to keep defenders from engaging him;
- Quick feet let him beat blockers on double moves;
- High-motor player with the speed to chase down ball carriers from behind;
- Recovers well when first move is countered;
- Holds his own in the run game – contains edge and forces plays back inside.
Weaknesses
- Unpolished rusher, smarter tackles will know how to defend him;
- Could do with some added muscle;
- Very stiff in his rush – needs to get more bend;
- Could be more aggressive when going after his blockers;
- Strictly an outside rusher – does not function well inside.
NFL Comparison: Unpolished Bradley Chubb
Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks
Projection: Round 2-3
Bottom Line on Isaiah Foskey
Isaiah Foskey is a solid edge rusher that should be able to contribute right out of the gate. His best asset is easily his speed and reaction time, as the Notre Dame product is insanely fast off the snap and wastes no time in getting to his max speed. This will allow him to blow past slower tackles and get after the quarterback on a fairly consistent basis. He can also use his long arm on those slower tackles to make sure they don’t recover and give him a quick hit in the chest.
Foskey is more than just a pass rusher, however, as he can also hold his own against the run. The Notre Dame product can hold his own in contain duties, channeling run plays back to the middle to limit big gains, and he can also chase down ball carriers with his impressive speed.
While he will be able to play immediately, he might need some time before he reaches his ceiling. Foskey still needs to work on the nuances of the position, and more experienced tackles will be able to take advantage of his technical shortcomings. The biggest example of this is the stiffness in his rush, as Foskey simply lacks the bend to go around tackles – he has to go through them. Additionally, he’s not the most versatile guy in the world, as he never played inside, even in passing situations. If a coaching staff is able to teach up his fundamentals, he could easily outplay his draft stock, but if that doesn’t happen, he’d still be well worth the investment in the back half of the second round.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
