ESPN's Todd McShay Predicts Former FSU DT Could Creep Into First Round Of NFL Draft

Braden Fiske's impressive NFL Combine showing turned some heads.

ESPN NFL Draft guru Todd McShay appeared on “The Ryen Russillo Podcast LIVE” to discuss his thoughts concerning the NFL Combine and the pre-draft ramifications of the results of the drills in Indianapolis.

Russillo questioned McShay on who he thinks will be a “pre-draft riser.” His answer was former Florida State defensive tackle, Braden Fiske (in the video, McShay mistakenly refers to the DT as “Brandon”).

“He was a good player coming into this past year, he got better as the season went on. He’s a three-technique typical penetrate, explosive – I just love guys who are twitchy. Like if you’re going to play in that scheme like the Tampa 2, there’s variations, but if you’re going to be asked to penetrate outside of the guard, get up the field, and just blow up the play, disrupt; You need a guy who’s movements are quicker,” McShay said.

“You saw at the Senior Bowl, arguably the best player there all week. Blowing up plays, one-on-one drills, dominant.” McShay continued, “He was awesome his senior year and he was even better late in the year when they really needed him, like he got better and better.”

The ESPN analyst spoke on his Combine results as well.

“Then he goes into the workout he had, it matched everything you want to see because he’s not the biggest guy so, damn, he better be explosive. And he ran the 4.78 in his 40-yard dash. He had a 33.5” vertical … 9’9” broad but those are great. Those are lower body explosive numbers that you’re looking for,” said McShay.

Finally, the ESPN pundit described Fiske’s draft stock rising as the season and the pre-draft progressions that came with it.

“I think coming into the year he was like a third, fourth-rounder. At the end of the season, he locked himself into maybe early third [round]. End of the Senior Bowl, he’s like, this guy’s going into the second, he’s not going to get out of the second. It won’t shock me now – with all this information – if he winds up late in the first. That’s how much he’s done during this pre-draft process to date to help his stock,” McShay concluded.

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During his first and only year at Florida State, Fiske recorded 43 tackles, six sacks, and nine tackles for loss.

His most impressive game on the stat sheet was the ACC Championship Game in Charlotte. The Western Michigan transfer had nine total tackles, three sacks, and four and a half tackles for loss. The Seminoles won 16-6. Fiske and Co. deserved a lot of the credit for the win as the offense sputtered with third-string quarterback Brock Glenn making his first start.

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