In order to skip the bowl game, Notre Dame lineman Blake Fisher has declared for the NFL Draft.
offensive tackle for Notre Dame Blake Fisher declared that he will enter the NFL Draft instead of playing in the Irish Bowl.
Junior offensive tackle for Notre Dame Blake Fisher declared he would forego playing in the team’s bowl game in favor of entering the NFL Draft. For Fisher, a true junior who had not yet reached the full extent of his abilities, it was an unexpected move.
As a true freshman, Fisher earned the starting left tackle position on the team due to his early career promise. During fall camp that season, Fisher actually defeated Joe Alt, but he was hurt in the team’s victory over Florida State to start the season. Fisher missed the next eleven games due to the knee injury, and he didn’t play again until Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl.
Alt had established himself as the left tackle by the time Fisher returned, so Fisher played that game at right tackle. Fisher began the next twenty-five Notre Dame games at right tackle. Fisher has that experience to his advantage, but he never improved. One could even argue that he regressed a little bit this season.
Fisher’s run blocking grade decreased this season according to PFF, and he was fined five times after receiving only two in 2022. This season, he has given up just one pass rush, but that has come on 39 fewer pass sets.
This season, Fisher undoubtedly had some highlights, including victories over Wake Forest, Pittsburgh, and Ohio State. That’s what sometimes made Fisher so frustrating to watch—he would flash his enormous potential in one game, then falter in another.
Fisher chose to enter the NFL Draft rather than finishing his senior year, improving his skills, raising his draft position, and maybe switching to left tackle. Teams will be able to see from his film that while he has some potential, he occasionally lacks the consistency and footwork needed to be a reliable blocker.
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