From now until the 2024 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Notre Dame OT Blake Fisher.
#54 Blake Fisher/OT Notre Dame – 6056, 310 lbs. (Redshirt Sophomore)
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Blake Fisher | 6056/310 | 10″ | 34 3/8″ | 83″ |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 5.20 | 1.82 | 4.73 | 7.76 | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 9’6″ | 28″ | N/A |
The Good
– Solid-enough frame
– Excellent down blocker, able to seal and allow backs to cut off his hip
– Apt at identifying and picking up stunts with enough lateral quickness
– Flashes when he’s able to win with punch early, can control defenders in run and pass game
– Works hard to re-fit his hands
– Drives feet and capable of creating movement in run game
– Some experience pulling and moving out in space
– Has enough strength to recover and stall out bull rushes with hop step
– Young with room to grow but has good amount of experience
– Appears to be high-character and shows leadership traits
The Bad
– Inconsistent tape with messy initial punch
– Too often can’t create first significant contact and allows defender to control block
– Allows defenders into his chest, uprighting and walking him back
– Bit of a robotic mover and not super fluid
– Lacks athleticism to reach block three-techs, prone to missing and whiffing at second level
– Feet can slow up on punch, needs to be more coordinated and fluid
– Prone to giving up the edge against speed rushers
– May lack ideal length for a tackle
– Doesn’t have high-end traits
– Poor cut blocker
– Struggles to stick to moving target in space as puller and on screens, prone to falling off
– Most time came at RT, didn’t display a ton of positional versatility
Bio
– 27 career starts for Fighting Irish
– Doesn’t turn 21 until March of 2024
– Started two games at LT as a freshman before getting hurt, flipped to RT as Joe Alt came on-scene
– Became just fifth Irish lineman of last two decades to start as a true freshman
– Five-star recruit from Avon, Indiana, No. 1 recruit in the state
– Chose Notre Dame over Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, among many others
– Once recorded seven pancake blocks in a high school game
– Older sister died from illness when Fisher was eight
– Considers former Notre Dame LB Jaylon Smith a mentor
– High school teammates with draft eligible Louisville RB Isaac Guerendo
– Able to dunk from standstill position
– Values academics and wanted to have high college GPA
Tape Breakdown
After beginning his Notre Dame career as a top-recruit left tackle, Blake Fisher made his home on the right side of the Fighting Irish’s line once Joe Alt proved to be the ultimate blindside protector. With good size and leg drive, Fisher does a nice job sealing down defenders in the run game. Notre Dame backs gained plenty of yards running off his outside hip and through the hole.
He is No. 54, the right tackle in all these clips.
When he’s able to execute his punch with proper timing and placement, Fisher is effective and controlling in pass protection, as shown in the below clip.
He seems to be high character with no one saying a bad word about him on or off the field. Academics was a key reason he picked Notre Dame, a five-star recruit who could’ve gone anywhere in the country. Fisher should be solid for any locker room.
However, his tape is inconsistent. His initial punch is all over the place and is late or misses too often. Defenders get into his chest too easily and get under him, though Fisher has enough strength to stall them out. Still, it can lead to some ugly-looking reps.
He’s not especially athletic and falls off his blocks too often while struggling to reach and cut off.
And he’s not extremely quick laterally. Across the board in the run and pass game, Fisher is solid everywhere but not spectacular anywhere. He’s young with a game that can and needs to grow. He’s not a Day One NFL starter, that much seems clear.
Conclusion
Fisher can run block and has a well-rounded game but there are technical issues in his game he has to clean up. He doesn’t have the top-end physical or athletic traits of other lineman in this class that will limit his ceiling. A solid player but not someone who jumped off the tape. He’ll do best in a man/power blocking scheme where he can down block and seal and hide some of his athletic limitations.
My NFL comp to him will actually be one Steelers’ fans know well in current OT Dan Moore Jr. Games are actually pretty darn similar. Others will hate the comparison more than I do, but obviously, we’re not talking about a super-high end prospect here. Again, he’s only 20 and a redshirt sophomore so understand that his current game isn’t necessarily reflective of where he’ll be in two or three years.
Projection: Late Day Two-Early Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 7.5 – Rotational Player (4th Round)
Games Watched: vs Clemson (2022), vs Ohio State (2023), vs USC (2023), at NC State (2023)
