Braden Fiske NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Los Angeles Rams DL

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 292

HAND: 9⅜"

ARM: 31"

WINGSPAN: 75¾"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.78

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: 4.37

VERTICAL: 33.5"

BROAD: 9'9"

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POSITIVES

— Good overall athlete with impressive movement skills and quickness for a defensive tackle.

— Very fast off the ball and can get penetration with his get-off when he times up the snap count.

— Sets up his pass-rush moves well by getting to square on the offensive lineman during the stem phase of the rush and has the agility, quickness and hip mobility to get back on an edge.

— Has a solid arm-over move that he can win with.

— Physical at the point of attack against the run and has shown the upper-body strength to get extension on blocks when he does land his hands.

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NEGATIVES

— Has a habit of standing up out of his stance, which causes issues against offensive linemen with good leverage and double-teams/combo blocks against the run. Makes his bull rush inconsistent as a pass-rusher, too.

— Use of hands is a work in progress. Often late and wide with his hand placement, exposing his chest. Also impacts his ability to shed blocks and is currently limiting his pass-rush arsenal.

— Could afford to add some lower-body strength to improve his base as a run defender.

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2023 STATISTICS

— 13 G, 43 TOT, 9 TFL, 6 SK

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NOTES

— Born Jan. 18, 2000

— Transferred from Western Michigan ahead of this season

— 3-star recruit in the 2018 class, per 247Sports

— Injuries: 2023 (Upper body, offseason surgery and missed spring practices)

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OVERALL

Braden Fiske has the potential to become a good 3-technique defensive tackle in the NFL, especially as a pass-rusher, primarily due to his blend of strength and athleticism.

Fiske shows a lot of impressive movement skills and hip mobility to grow as a rusher, and he's effective as the looper in line games with good agility to gain ground vertically while moving laterally. Against the run, his lightning-quick get-off allows him to get penetration, and he has pop in his hands to win at the point of attack.

The biggest problem with the Western Michigan and Florida State product is his poor use of hands. He far too often gets caught with his hands down by his waist, allowing offensive linemen to make the first significant contact in the running or passing game. If that improves, he can add to his pass-rush arsenal and be more consistent against the run.

However, it is concerning that Fiske is a sixth-year senior and still has this technical flaw. He'll be a 24-year-old rookie, which already hinders his draft stock, and he is a bit of a project, so teams could view him as a lower-ceiling prospect. His traits are worth betting on, but he will need to be paired with a good developmental defensive line coach.

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GRADE: 7.3 (Potential Role Player/Contributor — 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 53

POSITION RANK: DL5

PRO COMPARISON: Jerry Tillery

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

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