STRENGTHS
Isaiah is a multi-talented, multi-position, impact defensive player who can play in any style of defense. He has excellent athletic talent to cover opponents in the passing game, to rush the passer on the line of scrimmage and to play on or off the line in your front seven. Isaiah has the burst and speed along with the change of direction skills that are unique in his size and strength player. He has those long arms that will allow him to sit on the hip of his opponent when in single coverage and knock down passes against those tall pass-catching Tight Ends and bigger slot receivers. Isaiah is a pass-rushing nightmare of a matchup because of his quickness and flexibility when on the line of scrimmage and has the speed to be used off the line in blitz packages also. Isaiah reminds me a lot of Los Angles Charges Derwin James and if used the same way he will be just as impacting. Isaiah plays the game with the speed, strength, and wingspan of a vulture, silently hunting its prey until it is successful.
CONCERNS
Isaiah will struggle when used as a Linebacker who is expected to take on big offensive linemen and shed them to make tackles. He needs to work free and in the open field to impact. He is the type of player you move around your defense to impact therefore he has to have a high football IQ. As far as I can tell he does but sometimes it takes some time to be free enough mentally in a new system to impact.
TALENT BOARD ROUND 1.36
Defensive players with this type of size and athletic talent to do just about anything you ask of them on the field are few and far between. When Derwin James came out in his draft I listed him on my talent board as THE very best player in that draft. It would not surprise me if in this draft Isaiah after his workouts, is listed on many team’s boards as the very best player in this draft. I know that’s a bold statement considering some of the talents in this draft but the truth is Isaiah’s ability to play anywhere in a team’s front seven and also in the defensive backfield makes his value along with that talent and size almost too much to pass up. Not many teams in the NFL have a vulture on their roster so the temptation will be there to be the first team to select Isaiah for sure.
