Football by Numbers Notre Dame Fighing Irish

DE Rankings: Isaiah Foskey

August 17, 2022 CFB Saturdays Staff

As we review the DE rankings, players have had the opportunity to raise their stock and move up the rankings. Before we jump into Isaiah Foskey, here’s a few reminders about the rankings themselves:

The rankings will be updated throughout the season.
Players who have not played college football are not eligible for the rankings.
Players are graded on their college ability, not their pro potential.
We are judging players on their film, production and physical tools.

You can view the College Football DE Rankings here.

Notre Dame defensive end, Isaiah Foskey played sparingly in 2019, but began to flash as a potential impact player in 2020. 2021 was a breakout season for the defensive end as he opened the year with a two sack performance against Florida State and recorded four sacks in his first three games. Foskey did not stop there, he continued to be a devastating defensive end, accounting for 52 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, 6 fumbles forced and 1 pass breakup during the 2021 season. In 2022, he will be a leader on the defensive front for the Fighting Irish and one of the top ends in college football.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35kKrSWIgXA

At 6’5″ 260 lbs, Foskey has great length and athleticism off the edge. He is quick off the ball and gets around the tackle with ease. Foskey uses his length to keep the tackle away from his body as he turns the corner and closes on the quarterback. He has a good feel for where the ball is and does an excellent job of bringing his free hand down on the ball when making the sack to try and jar it loose. Foskey is very effective creating negative plays and forcing turnovers with his speed and length off the edge.

Part of Foskey’s progression from 2020 to 2021 was becoming a more complete player against the run. He showed an improved feel for recognizing a run play and was able to use that length effectively to disengage blockers and stop the run. Foskey’s quickness and lateral agility are also a factor here as he is able to work down the line of scrimmage and close on plays run in the opposite direction. He has become a complete defensive end who can make an impact for the Notre Dame defense against any offensive scheme.

Isaiah Foskey has developed into an excellent defensive end, who has the speed and burst to get to the quarterback. He has improved as a run defender and is a complete player on the defensive line. Foskey will only get better as he adds to his arsenal of pass rush moves, making it that much more difficult for blockers to prepare for him. He is already one of the top defensive ends in college football and could be better in 2022.

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