5 Things to know about Jacksonville Jaguars' fourth-round pick LB Jack Kiser

USA Today

23-05-2025

5 Things to know about Jacksonville Jaguars' fourth-round pick LB Jack Kiser Here are five things to know about LB Jack Kiser, the Jacksonville Jaguars' fourth-round pick.
In the fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser.
The addition of Kiser will add more physicality and depth at linebacker, along with providing special teams help as well.
Let's take a closer look at this selection with five things to know about Kiser.
A very reliable tackler
Kiser hasn't just been a sound tackler in his career; he's been excellent in that regard. Over six seasons, which spanned 1,862 defensive snaps, Kiser has a missed tackle rate of just 4.6%, according to PFF. For some context, anything under 10% is a good rate.
As you can imagine, he's been one of PFF's highest-graded tacklers at the linebacker position, and this quality has, of course, served him well in the run game. In 2024, Kiser ranked 15th in PFF's run defense grade and had the 10th most tackles in the run game as well.
"Many [players] are tapping out before they ever get to the game," James Gladstone said of the Senior Bowl. "To see somebody like Jack Kiser opt in to playing a position like safety when he is, in fact, an inside linebacker, when that could make him look worse than he would like, but was productive in that setting."
A team captain and very experienced player
As mentioned, Kiser spent six seasons at Notre Dame, and during that span, he appeared in 70 games, which is a school record. This included playing 1,862 snaps on defense and another 975 on special teams.
Along with that experience, Kiser was named a team captain in 2024 and was named the Notre Dame Man of the Year. Kiser very much fits that "intangibly rich" mold that the Jaguars are searching for.
"He is a problem solver," said Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman. "The ability for him to communicate and get other people lined up and tell somebody what's happening is tremendous."
A lot of time on special teams
As just alluded to, Kiser saw a lot of playing time on special teams with 975 career snaps. In fact, you probably won't find many more players in the NFL draft with more experience than him.
Of the six different special teams phases, Kiser regularly played on five of them. The one unit where he didn't see snaps was on the field goal kicking team. By PFF's metrics, Kiser also graded out well on special teams.
Right away, he has the potential to play 250-plus special teams snaps for the Jaguars and be a core member of that unit.
Jack Kiser's scouting report
Lance Zierlein: "Sixth-year senior with good football intelligence and immediate four-phase special teams value. Kiser will be a 25-year-old rookie in September, with average physical attributes, but he's productive and consistent. He understands his limitations and works around them with instincts and positioning, but a lack of speed and length will create smaller margins for error as a pro. He struggles to take on and get off blocks, so he'll have to take a few more chances moving forward. Kiser's ability to play on third down and special teams boosts his chances of becoming a backup inside linebacker."
Jack Kiser's RAS card