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This series will be your guide to the 2023 draft class. From scouting reports to mock drafts and exploring different scenarios, we will be covering the NFL draft and the future of the Minnesota Vikings from all angles.
The focus of the draft class in this space will be on the Vikings’ major needs at wide receiver, running back, cornerback and both interior and edge pass rusher.
The Vikings are slated to have four picks before compensatory selections are awarded and they need to make the most out of them.
Background
Isaiah Foskey
- Notre Dame
- Height-6047
- Weight-262 lbs
- Fourth-year senior
- 4-Star recruit per 247 Sports
- Stats: 121 tackles, 72 solo, 25.0 sacks, 28.0 tackles for loss, 2 passes defended, 7 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries
- Games watched: Cincinnati 2021, North Carolina 2022, Ohio State 2022, Clemson 2022
Strengths
A two-year starter for the Fighting Irish, Foskey has the desired size you want from a five-technique. In his two seasons as a starter, Foskey had 10.0 and 10.5 sacks. He produced right out of the gate for the Fighting Irish.
He has solid arm length at 33 3/4, which helps his go-to move the long arm. The strength of that move helps him set up other moves, including the club rip.
While he doesn’t have natural bend, Foskey has excellent core strength that helps him stay upright when he tries to take the corner. What helps him is a great first step and explosiveness when moving forward.
For a likely 4-3 defensive end at the next level, Foskey is comfortable dropping into coverage. Notre Dame had him do it a shockingly high amount of times and he looked natural in doing so.
Weaknesses
Foskey is not a fluid athlete. He has stiff hips and doesn’t bend or move laterally all that well. He needs to be really quick off the ball to win around the edge.
While the long arm does work, he struggles to use it against any tackle with longer arms. Against Ohio State, Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones stonewalled him with ease.
Deconstructing blocks is very inconsistent as well. Once the blocker gets his hands on Foskey, the rep is usually over. He needs development with deconstructing blocks and building strength to compensate for his lack of bend and lateral athleticism.
Overview
| Bend | 7.2/10 |
| Quickness/Burst | 13.9/15 |
| Finesse | 3.4/5 |
| Power | 3.9/5 |
| Counters | 7.3/10 |
| Awareness | 8.7/10 |
| Run Defense | 8.4/10 |
| Versatility | 8.8/10 |
| Size/Length | 14.2/15 |
| Tackling | 7.8/10 |
| Grade | 83.6/100 Second Round |
There are some real concerns with Foskey becoming a complete edge rusher, but he has really good size and forward explosiveness from both a two and three-point stance that will be valuable to teams that think they can develop the other aspects of his game. The versatility of being able to play in multiple schemes will also be a draw for teams that want to draft him.
His peak is likely a top-end number two pass rusher, but with how having a litany of pass rushers at your disposal is so important in today’s NFL, he will be a valuable piece for a long time.
