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How Jaguars draft pick Jack Kiser will fit in Jacksonville: Scouting 4th-round NFL pick
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- How Jaguars draft pick Jack Kiser will fit in Jacksonville: Scouting 4th-round NFL pick
The Jacksonville Jaguars had a second fourth-round pick in the NFL Draft on April 26, three slots after their first one at No. 104.
With the 107th selection in the fourth round, the Jaguars picked Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser (6 feet 2, 232 pounds), who was the 12th-ranked at his position by draft guru Dane Brugler but also played safety in the Senior Bowl.
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The pick was the first in the draft for the Jaguars that was in the same round and same order as at the beginning of the draft — in other words, unaffected by any trades.
Kiser led the Fighting Irish in tackles with 90 in 2024 and added five tackles for losses and two forced fumbles. He was a team captain.
Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser (24) sacks Florida State quarterback Brock Glenn during a game on Nov. 9, 2024 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Brugler says Kiser "covers a lot of ground and moves smoothly in everything he does." He also gave Kiser high marks for finishing plays and matching up well against running backs and tight ends in pass coverage.
Jack Kiser is an Indiana farm boy
A clue for Kiser's work ethic: He grew up working on a family farm in Royal Center, Ind. When he conducted his first Zoom call with Jaguars media after his selection, it was outside, with barns in the background.
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Kiser said the family farm is about 1,000 acres. They grow corn and soybeans and raise pigs, goats and chickens.
Kiser spent his youth helping at grain bins, unloading trucks and when he got older, driving trucks and combines.
"It's taking care of something other than yourself," he said of farming and raising animals. "Farming can be a little frustrating. You can't control weather or when equipment breaks down. Football is fun. It's a game, a sport."
Kiser has a Masters degree in accounting and was active in community service. He assisted low-income people with their tax returns and often visited children and families at the Ronald McDonald House.
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Jack Kiser stats
In 2023, Kiser was the Notre Dame Special Teams Player of the Year and had 975 career snaps on special teams, mostly punt coverage. He also set the Notre Dame record with 70 games played.
He had 16 career tackles for losses, six forced fumbles and four interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.
Kiser is also a winner: Notre Dame was 57-13 (.814) in games Kiser played between 2019-2024 and last year went 14-2 and reached the national championship game against Ohio State. Kiser's high school teams at Pioneer (Ind.) were 56-2 (.965).
The total won-loss record for high school and college teams on which Kiser played is 113-15 (.883).
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Jack Kiser highlights
Jack Kiser was a versatile athlete in high school
Kiser played four years of varsity football at Pioneer High School in his hometown. He played quarterback, running back, defensive end, and linebacker and had 11,257 yards of total offense, 424 tackles, and 20 interceptions for his career. Pioneer had back-to-back unbeaten seasons (15-0 each year) and won state titles when Kiser was a junior and senior.
When Kiser was a freshman, he ran for 1,613 yards and 22 touchdowns. As a senior, he scored 44 touchdowns on the ground, threw for 18, and was named Indiana's "Mr. Football."
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Jack Kiser is from an athletic family
Kiser's brother Bryce played defensive end at Illinois State. His uncle, Brian, was the Big Ten discus champion for Purdue in 1990 and was the school's Athlete of the Year. His sister Madison ran track and cross country for Louisville and Ball State.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars draft Jack Kiser with fourth-round pick: Fit, scouting report
