As the NFL draft approaches, NFL teams will continue finalizing their draft boards and deciding when and where they want to target needs. Penn State has multiple players who are fighting for positioning within their respective position groups, and few have helped themselves more to this point than edge rusher [autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag].
Isaac started his final season in Happy Valley under the shadow of his ultra-talented teammate and fellow pass-rusher [autotag]Chop Robinson[/autotag]. Despite that, he was ultimately the more productive player in 2023, proving he was worthy of serious NFL interest. His performance at the Senior Bowl raised his profile even higher, so much so that he was starting to be mocked in the late first round by some analysts.
His NFL combine performance was very good, but it didn’t blow anyone away for a lighter pass-rusher. It didn’t help that Robinson had a day to remember, likely taking eyes away from Isaac’s showing. Still, his athleticism was nothing to sneeze at.
Adisa Isaac is a DE prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 8.75 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 212 out of 1685 DE from 1987 to 2024.
Official pro day results pending.https://t.co/tL8dU9IN5n pic.twitter.com/DHTPl0FQIE
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 19, 2024
Looking at how the media views a player isn’t always a good indicator of where they will be drafted, but it is a good way to see how the perception of them has changed throughout the process. Looking at Isaac’s profile on Mock Draft Database, he has been in the late-second/early-third range for months now. There has been a dip since the combine, but overall his range hasn’t fluctuated much.
While his stock has technically fallen, his draft range was always going to be closer to mid-to-late day 2. He is a rock-solid run defender who will be valuable on early downs, but his pass-rush ability may be less effective at the next level. His first step is only average, and he doesn’t have enough power to make up for when he can’t turn the corner on tackles.
He is still worth a day-2 selection, and that is exactly where the media has him going. Only time will tell if a team likes him enough to take him even higher.