Saints scouting spotlight: Isaiah Foskey

We’re a week removed from the 2023 NFL Draft, and we've gone through the New Orleans Saints’ picks. There is one Saints pick that stands out above all others.

Of all the draft picks the New Orleans Saints made this year, Isaiah Foskey, who was selected by the Saints in the second round, is their most intriguing pick.

Foskey was a consensus All-American last season, and he broke Justin Tuck’s Notre Dame career sack record, finishing his collegiate career with 26.5 sacks.

From watching his tape, Foseky has a very good motor. He doesn't give up on plays or take plays off. He’s fast for a player his size, he’s 265 pounds and ran a 4.58 40 yard dash. He uses his speed to blow past blockers, typically getting to the quarterback or at least generating pressure, and he's willing to provide support against the run.

The only concern with him is that he’s a one-trick pony. For the most part, Foskey can be seen on tape doing the same thing, lacking the use of a variety of pass-rush moves. His hands usage and ability to disengage from lineman is adequate at best, and it's easy to contain him if the offensive lineman stops that initial move.

Overall, this really isn't a bad pick, because the Saints lost A LOT of players on the defensive line. There are some things to like about him, especially since he has immense potential, but it would be nice to see him develop more pass-rush moves. Some might say, "Well, as long as he's getting to quarterback, that's all that matters." Well, getting to the quarterback, disrupting the run, etc., are the main things, but the point is this makes him predictable, and that won't work at the NFL level.

However, this also isn't a glaring weakness, unless he doesn't improve in that area. This is something Foskey can develop over time, if not his first year. If he makes certain improvements, the Saints have a terrifying pass-rusher on their hands, but as of right now, this writer sees him as an Elvis Dumervil-type of edge.

While Dumervil, who had a very good career (he finished with 105.5 career sacks) was a solid pass rusher, he wasn't a game-changing pass rusher, and that's what this film shows in Isaiah Foskey, so far. Having Cam Jordan as a mentor is a huge help, and that could help him develop into an even better pass rusher than what the New Orleans Saints saw when they drafted him.

Grade: A-