Paddy Fisher NFL Draft Overview
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6-foot-3 ½”
Weight: 239 pounds
Arms: 32 ½”
Hands: 9 ⅝”
School: Northwestern
Pro Day Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.91
Vertical: 31 ½”
Three cone: 7.0
Bench press: 20 reps
Broad: 110”
Short shuttle: 4.47
Paddy Fisher 2021 NFL Draft Profile
Paddy Fisher earned himself a three-star recruitment rating out of the state of Texas before committing to Northwestern in 2016. Fisher would redshirt his 2016 season before seeing playing time in 2017. As a redshirt freshman, Fisher played in 13 games and tallied 113 total tackles, nine tackles for a loss, one interception, four pass deflections, four forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. The performance earned him freshman All-American honors as well as being named to the second-team All-Big Ten team.
As a 2018 redshirt sophomore Fisher again had an impressive season in which he played 14 games and racked up 116 total tackles, five tackles for a loss, one sack, one interception, three pass deflections, and four forced fumbles. The performance earned him Big Ten first-team honors. As a 2019 redshirt junior Fisher was named a team captain and again had a solid season. Fisher played in 12 games and accounted for 89 total tackles, six tackles for a loss, one sack, one interception, four pass deflections, and two forced fumbles.
Last season, as a 2020 redshirt senior it was more of the same for Fisher. He played in nine games and racked up 86 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, one interception, three pass deflections, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. The performance earned him AP All-Big Ten defensive first team honors.
Strengths
- Four years of collegiate experience;
- Has NFL size for the position;
- Old school linebacker who stuffs the run with authority and fills gaps;
- Good intangibles and very much is the stereotypical inside linebacker defensive leader;
- Good pre-snap communicator who frequently made defensive calls and adjustments;
- Brings pop behind his pads.
Weaknesses
- Likely will be a liability in NFL pass defense;
- Lateral quickness and movement is subpar;
- Not a great athlete;
- Teams fear he may already have hit his ceiling in college;
- Does not play well in space and struggles to diagnose route concepts.
NFL Comparison: Ja’Whaun Bentley
Teams With Need at Position: New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos
Projection: Fifth to Sixth Round
Bottom Line on Paddy Fisher
If Fisher had come along 15 years ago he likely would have been a first- or second-round draft pick. That demonstrates how good Fisher is against the run and shooting gaps, but shows his lack of ability in the passing game. Simply put, Fisher will likely get undressed at the next level if asked to defend the pass against today’s high-powered offenses.
Fisher is elite on early downs when defending the run along with bringing admirable leadership qualities to the position. Fisher frequently called defensive plays and alignments for Northwestern and while he is the type of player you would love to see succeed, he simply does not have the athleticism to be a quality starter for today’s NFL. Fisher could fill a niche role within some defensive schemes and he brings a lot of experience from the college game, but the bottom line is his lack of speed sets his ceiling low.
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