The Chicago Bears will be drafting a lot of defensive linemen in the 2023 NFL draft. One name to keep an eye on is Notre Dame edge rusher, Isaiah Foskey. What does Foskey bring to the NFL, and what is his best NFL comparison?
Chicago Bears NFL Draft Profile: Notre Dame Edge Rusher Isaiah Foskey
Isaiah Foskey did not play much as a freshman and got onto the field rotationally as a sophomore. However, he became a staple of the Irish pass rush during his last two seasons. He went from 32 pressures in 2021 to 33 in 2022.
Overall, he finished his career with 1.463 snaps and 781 pass rush attempts. Almost all of his snaps were outside the tackle, and while he mostly played with his hand in the dirt, he did play standing up on both feet as well.
Foskey attended the Senior Bowl, and looked promising, although he did struggle when asked to kick inside. Isaiah Foskey also represented himself well at the NFL Combine.
Foskey is a heavier rusher with longer arms. His 40-yard dash is impressive, but you wish the 10-yard split and agility drills were stronger.
How Isaiah Foskey translates to the NFL
The main area where Foskey wins is power with his arms. He is able to get punches to land effectively, and when he can extend his arm into someone's chest he does a great job of driving them back. His long arm is easily his best and most useful go-to move, and he wins by converting his speed to power. Foskey has violent hands and has a few counters, but he is not the most complete rusher with a fully loaded arsenal.
Edge Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame (#7)
— Erik Turner (@ErikJTurner) April 7, 2023
-Captain
-Ricochets off pullers to make the tackle
-Disposes of TEs in run game
-Active feet to maintain edge on wide zone runs
-Effective Long Arm in pass and run game
-Super productive over his 4 seasons 85 total pressures, 27 sacks
-Speed… pic.twitter.com/6dDPxeRQFR
As shown in his agility he does not have great flexibility and struggles to beat tackles with speed. Foskey is limited to rushing with power and winning with his upper body. He is competitive against the run, but at times he can lose his anchor as well.
The best case for Foskey is to land in a spot where he can be a rotational edge rusher who fights against the run and can wear down tackles throughout the game.
NFL Comparison for Isaiah Foskey
The best NFL comparison for Isaiah Foskey is Marcus Davenport. They are almost identical athletes.
They both win the same exact way with speed-to-power, and both are limited with how much they can with bend and speed. That is why the sacks are up and down with Davenport. He can push pockets, but the sacks come and go. This is a reliable player, but the Saints learned that the upside may have been tapped at a power rusher in a rotational setting, and his power could not be game-changing at the next level.
Should Chicago Bears draft Isaiah Foskey?
Most mock drafts have Foskey going in the late second round. That will put him right in play for the Chicago Bears. He is not a first-round talent, but if the Chicago Bears go offensive line in round one, there may not be a better option available in round two.
Foskey would come in and immediately push guys like Trevis Gipson and Dominique Robinson, and he would probably start over them by week one. He would not get a full workload but could lead a rotation with those names.