2023 NFL Draft: Final Projection For Notre Dame Pass Rusher Isaiah Foskey

Dissecting the latest buzz around Notre Dame pass rusher Isaiah Foskey ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft

Notre Dame fans have been blessed to see Isaiah Foskey over the last couple of seasons, sitting as the most productive pass rushers in the school’s history. He now is ready for his next challenge, the National Football League.

The talented pass rusher has been projected in a lot of spots during draft season and has some wide variance in terms of where he comes off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft. Let’s take a look at the latest buzz around Foskey and where he could come off the board.

CAREER SNAPSHOT

Foskey entered the 2022 season with some high expectations. Those centered around the potential impact that he could have on the team, as well as the rise that he could have moving up draft boards. Unfortunately Foskey’s season was marred by some inconsistent play along the way.

The California pass rusher was still very productive in 2022, racking up a career high 14 tackles for loss and tying his career high with 11 more sacks. The California native finished his career as the all-time leader in sacks for Notre Dame, finishing his tenure with 26.5 total sacks.

Foskey recorded 11 sacks in 2021 as well, his first full season as a starter. He showed his promise in 2020 while finishing second on the team with 4.5 sacks while serving as a key member of the Notre Dame defensive line rotation.

With that resume and obvious physical gifts, the 6-5, 264-pound defensive lineman was selected to participate in both the Reese’s Senior Bowl and the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. Not bad for a player who ranked outside of the top 200 recruits on all the major recruiting platforms when he was coming out of De La Salle.

WHAT I’M HEARING

Foskey’s draft stock has been a bit of a rollercoaster. The edge position is one where teams tend to gamble on upside and physical traits, which will help Foskey tremendously. There has been some hesitation about the Notre Dame star, mostly because he is a fourth year player and there wasn’t quite the jump you would like as a senior from a player with such awesome tools.

At the end of the day, every scout I have talked with is well aware of the talent that Foskey possesses. There are also plenty of NFL defensive line coaches who would love to get their hands on Foskey and develop him. That should allow for an easy top 64 overall selection, with significant upside to get excited about.

FINAL PROJECTION

It wasn’t too long ago that Foskey was being projected as a potential first round pick, settling on upside and tools to develop into a substantial producer on the edge. Then the 2022 season happened, which left some doubts about his developmental track and nuance as a player to continue early on.

During the season, there were some prominent NFL Draft analysts with legitimate sources who valued him more in the third round range. After some flashes during the Senior Bowl and an outstanding showing at the Combine, Foskey feels firm in the second round conversation. It wouldn’t be shocking if he comes off the board late in round one, but it would be a bit surprising based on feedback. 

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