Scouting Report: Weaknesses

• Limited athletic traits his frame and below-average explosiveness that narrows his margin for error against NFL-caliber athletes.
• Gets engulfed by offensive linemen when they latch onto his frame, lacking the elite lower body strength to anchor or disengage consistently.
• Age is a concern as he'll turn 25 early in his rookie season, creating questions about both ceiling and developmental timeline.
• Coverage skills project as a liability against shifty backs and athletic tight ends who can stress him vertically or with quick direction changes.
• Lacks true sideline-to-sideline range with middling long speed, limiting his scheme versatility at the next level.

Scouting Report: Summary

The film doesn't lie with Kiser – what you're getting is a throwback linebacker who excels against the run but will face challenges in today's pass-happy NFL. His tackling is textbook with minimal misses, and his ability to diagnose blocking schemes jumps off the screen when watching Notre Dame's defense operate. When he fires downhill against the run, you're seeing a linebacker who plays with conviction and purpose that can't be taught. The Wisconsin game in 2021 revealed his ceiling – baiting the quarterback before jumping the route for a pick-six – showing flashes of the playmaking that compensates for athletic limitations.

Defensive coaches looking for scheme discipline and fundamental soundness will find plenty to love in Kiser's game. His processing speed creates opportunities that his physical tools might otherwise limit, particularly when attacking gaps against zone running schemes. Despite lacking elite traits, Kiser brings a lunch-pail mentality that translates immediately to special teams while he develops his role on defense.

What you're ultimately getting with Kiser is a high-floor backup linebacker who brings immediate special teams value with the football IQ to contribute in specific defensive packages. He runs angry through contact despite size limitations and plays with the veteran savvy of someone who's seen every offensive concept. While he won't match up with the league's most dynamic tight ends and backs in coverage, his tackling reliability and run-game instincts give him defined value. Kiser represents the type of football character winning organizations covet in the middle rounds – someone whose intangibles and understanding of situational football elevate the collective standard of your locker room.