NFL Draft Profile: Adisa Isaac, EDGE, Penn State Nittany Lions
#20
Pos: DE
Ht: 6040
Wt: 244
DOB: 10/4/01
Eligible: 2022
Brooklyn, NY
Canarsie High School
Adisa Isaac
Penn State Nittany Lions
One-Liner:
Raw 4-3 defensive end with the mentality and traits to develop into a star sooner rather than later.
Evaluation:
Raw athlete with exceptional tools. Isaac is an explosive athlete with impressive lateral movement skills, lateral burst, change of direction and straight-line speed. He is also flexible and fluid enough to bend the edge when attacking the outside track. The Penn State product has a great understanding of pad level and consistently reduces blockable surface area. He can also use jab steps, head fakes, and body language to force offensive linemen into false steps before capitalizing with his effortless burst. The threat he presents up the outside track opens up opportunities for him to knife inside. Isaac is effective when attacking an offensive lineman’s soft inside shoulder. While strength is not a key component of his game, Isaac uses leverage to maximize his power and length on long-arm moves or speed-to-power. In run defense, Isaac uses leverage and a wide base to anchor down in one-on-one situations. He has the upper body strength and flexibility to disengage. The young defensive end also has some experience in coverage. Isaac has been widely praised by teammates and coaches for his maturity and coachability. Although he is currently raw, he should take a massive step forward with his expected increase in playing time. Very little experience after sitting behind Shaka Toney and Jayson Oweh. Most of his problems stem from that lack of playing time. Isaac is too committed to his long-arm move and should develop a more varied pass-rush arsenal. He also must learn to recognize when offensive tackles overcommit to the outside track, as he currently misses too many opportunities to attack inside. While Isaac has flashed potential with his power moves, he is still developing that area of his game. Against the run, the rising junior is driven back off the ball against double teams. Isaac also struggles to read the mesh point and loses gap integrity as a result. Coaches say they hope he can add weight before next season. Raw 4-3 defensive end with the mentality and traits to develop into a star sooner rather than later. Isaac has not gotten much playing time. As a result, he is still a work-in-progress. Nonetheless, he has the movement skills and flexibility to win up the outside and inside tracks. Moreover, his advanced understanding of leverage and pad level help him both melt through contact and manufacture power. He is already a fairly balanced defender - capable of playing the run or the pass. All the same, Isaac must continue to add nuances and variety to his game. Further, he is still learning to understand his own skillset and may take a massive step forward this year. While Isaac currently projects as a mid-level backup, he can become an upper-tier starter with additional coaching and experience.
Grade:
2nd Round
Background:
Born in Brooklyn, New York on October 4th, 2001 to parents Lisa and Alex Isaac. Has two brothers, Kyle Wiltshire and Y’ashua Isaac, and a sister, Tadj Isaac. News stories say he was forced to grow up quickly, as his three siblings were born with developmental disorders. Volunteered at the Penn Wortman Center. A very accomplished high school athlete, Adisa Isaac was a four-time letterman and three-time captain at Canarsie High School. Isaac was USA Today’s All-USA New York Defensive Player of the Year during his senior year. In 2018, the defensive end was named to USA Today’s All-USA New York Football Team first team and was the National Football Foundation New York City Mr. Football. Three-time all-city selection in high school. Set the record for sacks in a season both at his school and in the Public Schools Athletic League. 247Sports listed Isaac as a 4-star recruit, the 4th ranked weak-side defensive end in the nation and the top prospect in New York state. Noted as mature and coachable by his teammates and coaches. Isaac made an immediate impact his Freshman season making an impact in a lot of games. Before coming to Penn State, he attended Canarsie High School and was a team captain in three different sports. His family included his two brothers, Kyle and Y’ashua and a sister Tadji along with parents Lisa and Alex. At Penn State, he is majoring rehabilitation and human services.
