Notre Dame's Jack Kiser Riding the Wave After National Championship
![Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser (24) hypes up the crowd during the first round of the College Football Playoff between Notre Dame and Indiana at Notre Dame Stadium on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend. Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser (24) hypes up the crowd during the first round of the College Football Playoff between Notre Dame and Indiana at Notre Dame Stadium on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3947,h_2220,x_0,y_70/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/horseshoe_huddle/01jjr3j32meyvktqwx3m.jpg)
Jack Kiser's football story is one that any small-town kid could dream of.
Out of tiny Pioneer Junior-Senior High School in Royal Center, Ind., Kiser dominated the field, leading his team as a two-way player to consecutive Class A state titles en route to being named Indiana Mr. Football as a senior.
That success led Kiser to one of the most prestigious and successful collegiate football programs in the country at Notre Dame, located in South Bend, Ind. There, Kiser became a starting linebacker in 2021 and helped lead the Fighting Irish to six bowl games, including last season's College Football Playoff run to the National Championship.
In 69 career games with the Irish, Kiser tallied 275 tackles (17 for loss), 6.0 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 2 fumbles recovered, 4 interceptions, and 7 pass breakups, and 2 defensive touchdowns.
Ultimately, Kiser and Notre Dame fell to Ohio State, 34-23, on one of the biggest stages in the sport of football, The long season alone was enough for several other Irish and Buckeye players to pull out of the Reese's Senior Bowl this week, but Kiser feels the momentum and isn't ready to stop playing just yet.
"You know, it's a long season, but I got into a really great routine," Kiser said on Tuesday. "Through the playoffs, it was every 10 days it seemed like we were playing, right? And so this kind of just felt like another 10-day little cycle. So this is, you know, game week right now. We're entering it, and my body feels great. And so, your body feels great, you're healthy, why not come out here and compete?"
Kiser (6'1", 227, 24 years old) is part of an impressive linebacker group in the 2025 NFL Draft, and he got off to a great start with a strong first day in Mobile, showing his range and skills in coverage.
A team like the Indianapolis Colts could look long and hard at Kiser. Their current linebacker corps underperformed in 2024 and now have E.J. Speed and Grant Stuard due to hit free agency.
While Kiser still has the draft and an NFL career to look forward to, where he's come from to where he is now hasn't been lost on him.
"If you would have told me the year would have been like this and all these things would be coming through, like, as a kid, I'd be ecstatic," Kiser said. "I remember growing up watching NFL Network, watching the practices, like looking at, you know, all the big-time names, and now I know I'm out here. That's pretty special.
"And hopefully, there's a kid in Royal Center, Indiana, who has the TV on right now and gets to see some of my reps and sees the gold helmet," Kiser continued. "So just super ecstatic to be here and excited to have the opportunity for sure."
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