'19 IN LB Jack Kiser (Notre Dame Man)

[CoachB]

I have always been impressed by Kiser's play. He is always in the right spot and is a sure tackler. I think he is outstanding.

 

[BobbyMac]

Kiser's production per snap has been BY FAR the best on the team, both in '23 and '22. Playing Rover doesn't afford him the same snaps as WILL & MIKE with ND in nickel so often.

That all changes next year.

 

[ulukinatme]

He would have to transfer to USC for that.

Can't find the pic anymore, but when ESPN Gameday was on campus for the '05 game someone had a great sign with Matt Leinart in a tutu. It's lost to the interwebs, closest thing I could find was this

 

[BobbyMac]

 

[T-Boone]

what’s that about?

 

[PutuporShutup]

what’s that about?

Right place at the right time.... The question is with most likely significantly more PT this year, does he make more impactful plays or get gobbled up by linemen

 

[Edge]

Considering he was offered lucrative package to return someone is banking on him making plays….as he always has

 

[IAIrish]

Drue Tranquil had 75 tackles, 9tfl's, 3.5 sacks, 3 breakups and 2 qb hurries in his grad year, 2018.

Kiser will share a lot more reps with some talented young backers, but I'd wager his stats will be in line with Tranq's, plus a couple ints.

He'll have a young mike next to him (when he isn't the mike for sneed/ausberry to be on the field), so he won't have a Coney next to him vacuuming up 100+tackles.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Kiser/Sneed tandem against the pass happy teams on the schedule.

Excited to watch that unit.

 

[KPENN]

Listed in an ESPN article for biggest draft sleepers.

Kiser has made a living at Notre Dame off "right place, right time" football. He's instinctive and active and has filled up the stat sheet thanks to that ability. The 6-1, 223-pound senior had 62 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and an interception last season from his middle linebacker spot.

"Kiser is all over the place for them" said an AFC North area scout who has evaluated Notre Dame. "I love his read-and-react ability. The hip flexibility is my biggest question, but he has pretty good speed in space."

The 2024 linebacker class didn't produce a first-round pick. Kiser will be hoping to change that in 2025.

 

[T-Boone]

The draft continues to amaze me

 

[BobbyMac]

Right place at the right time.... The question is with most likely significantly more PT this year, does he make more impactful plays or get gobbled up by linemen

Listen in an ESPN article for biggest draft sleepers.

Kiser has made a living at Notre Dame off "right place, right time" football. He's instinctive and active and has filled up the stat sheet thanks to that ability. The 6-1, 223-pound senior had 62 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and an interception last season from his middle linebacker spot.

"Kiser is all over the place for them" said an AFC North area scout who has evaluated Notre Dame. "I love his read-and-react ability. The hip flexibility is my biggest question, but he has pretty good speed in space."

The 2024 linebacker class didn't produce a first-round pick. Kiser will be hoping to change that in 2025.

Putup's an ESPN draft analyst or is he the AFC North scout???

I guess we all just need to do as he says and shut up.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Putup's an ESPN draft analyst or is he the AFC North scout???

I guess we all just need to do as he says and shut up.

Respect!

 

[MrNimbus]

Don't mean to pile on. He's a sound linebacker. But that's all. Not very impressive, but gets the job done. He more needs to qb the defense. Until the young pups are ready. I do get sick of the 10+ yard downfield after the first down tackles.

 

[BobbyMac]

Don't mean to pile on. He's a sound linebacker. But that's all. Not very impressive, but gets the job done. He more needs to qb the defense. Until the young pups are ready. I do get sick of the 10+ yard downfield after the first down tackles.

We'll find out this year what's what. We know he's a plus athlete. He's definitely athletic enough to make the NFL. He's probably a lock to play for a long time on special teams alone.

What we'll see this year is if he can keep his lofty production per snap ratio close to where it was. His game may not flash in some fans' eyes but it does on the stat sheet. EASILY the most productive defender per snap over the past couple of years.

 

[BobbyMac]

Respect!

Blind something something arboreal rodent something deez nuts.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Blind something something arboreal rodent something deez nuts.

 

[a mike]

Listen in an ESPN article for biggest draft sleepers.

Kiser has made a living at Notre Dame off "right place, right time" football. He's instinctive and active and has filled up the stat sheet thanks to that ability. The 6-1, 223-pound senior had 62 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and an interception last season from his middle linebacker spot.

"Kiser is all over the place for them" said an AFC North area scout who has evaluated Notre Dame. "I love his read-and-react ability. The hip flexibility is my biggest question, but he has pretty good speed in space."

The 2024 linebacker class didn't produce a first-round pick. Kiser will be hoping to change that in 2025.

Wut?

If Kiser ends up being a legit first round draft pick I couldn't even fathom how good this defense will be

But personally I think this take is crazy

He's solid but nothing close to any of that

 

[SeekNDestroy]

Wut?

If Kiser ends up being a legit first round draft pick I couldn't even fathom how good this defense will be

But personally I think this take is crazy

He's solid but nothing close to any of that

Remember when Corey Robinson was projected to be a 1st rounder?

 

[BobbyMac]

Wut?

If Kiser ends up being a legit first round draft pick I couldn't even fathom how good this defense will be

But personally I think this take is crazy

He's solid but nothing close to any of that

For whatever reason, the earliest of mocks had him going in the first. Shocking.

 

[Edge]

For the record he’s 6’1 7/8 and 237 lbs.
NFL will appreciate added weight to move inside.
He will test well next spring.
Folks don’t appreciate how good athlete he really is. As a high school senior in track he qualified for state finals in shot put, discus, AND 100 meters. Rare feat.

 

[T-Boone]

Wut?

If Kiser ends up being a legit first round draft pick I couldn't even fathom how good this defense will be

But personally I think this take is crazy

He's solid but nothing close to any of that

He was talked of that way last season as well by at least one crazy mock

 

[CanadalovesND]

A more accurate draft projection: Jack Kiser Linebacker Notre Dame | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

4th round.

SCOUTING REPORT: STRENGTHS

Kiser can move laterally and chase in pursuit. A tough, violent tackler with a non-stop motor, Kiser also shows good awareness when dropping into coverage.
Gets pressures on inside stunts and was too explosive for college guards to handle.
Shows toughness to get under the pads of tackles to bull them, club them upfield to get the inside lane, or fight through blocks for secondary rush when the passer steps up.
Has the fluid hips and long arms to turn and run with tight ends, as well as excellent range when dropping into zone coverage.
Flashes closing speed and agility to reach passers from the blind side or up the middle before they can escape.
Kiser shows good speed and closing burst when blitzing.

SCOUTING REPORT: WEAKNESSES

As a pass rusher, Kiser needs the scheme to create deception and confusion to give him a free run.
As good as he is attacking downhill, he can get overaggressive and overrun plays, opening up cutback lanes for counter runs.
He’ll also need to be covered in the run game, more of a Will than a Mike in a 4-3 alignment.

 

[a mike]

Remember when Corey Robinson was projected to be a 1st rounder?

Yep right after the FSU game in 2014

That was a fun offense with Folson at RB and Fuller, Procise, and Robinson at WR up until Bad Golson took over Good Golson's body. Then it was all downhill from there especially when combined with BVG's D beginning it's fracturing in second half of season YIKES

 

[a mike]

For whatever reason, the earliest of mocks had him going in the first. Shocking.

He was talked of that way last season as well by at least one crazy mock

I remember he got some major short-term hype after that 2021 Wisky game with the pick 6's

And I do also remember that random mock draft last year. Very strange

 

[a mike]

A tough, violent tackler

As good as he is attacking downhill

 

[IrishLion]

I love Jack Kiser, but will maintain that any time he shows up as a potential first-rounder, it's because someone is weighting that Wisconsin game way too much. Trying to make a bold prediction/projection by looking at the outlier in a certain column of the stat sheet. I hope it carries over, or even hits a new level, this season... but idk.

What I DO know? That's he's the perfect "do anything you need" linebacker for a CFB Playoff defense.

 

[Giddyup]

Blake Fisher was a second rounder which nobody here thought would be the case so who knows.

 

[stlnd01]

Yep right after the FSU game in 2014

That was a fun offense with Folson at RB and Fuller, Procise, and Robinson at WR up until Bad Golson took over Good Golson's body. Then it was all downhill from there especially when combined with BVG's D beginning it's fracturing in second half of season YIKES

That was such a strange year. We almost beat #1 FSU at their place and then utterly fell apart. So many injuries on the defense, too. I think we were rotating backup linebackers in at DL by the end of the season.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Blake Fisher was a second rounder which nobody here thought would be the case so who knows.

Difference imo is that fisher always has had top 2 round talent just never played that way at nd… kiser has played well but just doesn’t have that talent to go early

 

[stlnd01]

Blake Fisher was a second rounder which nobody here thought would be the case so who knows.

And really who watched Liufau week-in week-out and saw a third-rounder? Kiser's in many ways a better football player than Marist, and a pretty good athlete himself. First round seems like a reach but yeah he'll be drafted in the middle rounds I'd bet.