by Ryan Myers
Photo courtesy of On3.com.
At Draft 412, the NFL draft talk never ends. We will keep you ready for the next set of gridiron stars—from today and all the way until draft night 2024. We will bring you mock drafts, player profiles, individual team needs, and everything else you may need related to the 2024 NFL Draft.
Today’s Spotlight - Notre Dame, Tackle, Blake Fisher
Name - Blake Fisher
Pos - OT
Team - Notre Dame
HT/WT - 6’6” 310 lbs.
Born - 03/25/2003
Home - Avon, IN
Blake Fisher played his high school football at Avon High School where he earned IFCA First Team All-State and was named 2020 Mr. Football Indiana (Offensive Line) following his senior season. He was ranked the number 1 player in the state of Indiana by ESPN, Rivals.com, and 247Sports. He received 4 star ratings from 247Sports and ESPN and had a 5 star rating from Rivals.com. He chose Notre Dame over offers from teams all over the country including every power 5 conference.
In his freshman season with Notre Dame, Fisher appeared in two games (both as a starter) and helped the Irish to two wins over Florida State and Oklahoma State. As a sophomore, he started all 13 games for the Irish and was part of one of the best offensive lines in the nation which helped Notre Dame average 4.6 yards per carry.
So far this season, Fisher and the rest of the Notre Dame line have been playing very well and have two games against USC and Ohio State where they did not allow a sack. They also are leading one of the best rushing attacks in the NCAA.
Fisher is a massive body on the offensive line who makes it very difficult on defensive linemen to bull rush and use their strength alone to reach the backfield. He plays with very strong hands and a great ability to grab and keep defenders from easily swimming past his blocks. He is also athletic and quick enough to react to most moves the defenders will show him. If he had a strength it is in run-blocking, excelling in setting his feet and understanding the angles in the run game. He is a major part of the Notre Dame running attack and perhaps the biggest reason for their success running the football.
At times, Fisher’s pass protection can be shaky due to his high stance and lack of use of leverage. This will need to be improved before he can be a consistent player in the NFL. If he lowers his pad level and stays strong in his mechanics, his pass protection will improve. As of now, he is still a work in progress but shows some very promising upside.
Strengths
Run Blocking
Size
Strong Hands
Athleticism
Weaknesses
Pass Protection
Leverage
Final Analysis
Fisher’s strength and athleticism will serve him well on draft day, and if he improves his leverage and pass protection, he will be a good piece on any offensive line.
Draft 412 Draft Prediction - 4th round