The Jacksonville Jaguars fell in love with linebacker Jack Kiser during the All-Star circuit for his willingness to go the extra mile. While he will have his work cut out to earn a featured role, a former Notre Dame Fighting Irish believes that he's capable of doing that and more. In fact, he goes as far as comparing him to a Jaguars legend.
Former Notre Dame quarterback Malik Zaire made an appearance on 1010 and stated that Kiser could have the same kind of impact Jaguars alumnus Paul Posluszny had during his heyday.
"The floor is a 10-year veteran, committed guy can become Mr. Jacksonville himself. The ceiling is Paul Posluszny," Zaire said. "I mean, the guy is Iron Man, 70-plus games, a ton of wealth and experience. Maybe not be the No. 1 athlete, but he's going to be in the right place at the right time, and that's why he's made Notre Dame special."
Zaire continued, "He's played and seen and been anywhere and everywhere you can be in a football landscape, and the greatest award you can win is being the healthiest. And for him to be able to have 70-plus games, that is the ultimate dream for football players to be available and to be able to make plays."
On the one hand, that's a pretty high compliment. On the other hand, Kiser has a long way to go to live up to the comparison. After all, Posluszny is arguably the best linebacker in franchise history and one of their best free-agent acquisitions.
A second-round pick in the 2007 draft, Posluszny began his NFL career with the Buffalo Bills and signed with the Jags in 2011 until his retirement in 2017, the year they reached the AFC Championship. Right off the bat, he became a staple of the Jacksonville defense and a fan favorite. The former Penn State product appeared in 100 games with 95 starts and registered 11 interceptions, 13 sacks, 816 total tackles, and four forced fumbles.
The Jaguars must temper expectations for Jack Kiser early in his NFL career
It's great to see Malike Zaire go to bat for fellow Notre Dame product Jack Kiser. It would be concerning if he didn't. However, his praise and comparison may be a bit too much, and it would be a good idea to pump the brakes a little. After all, Paul Posluszny was a second-round pick while the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Kiser in Round 4.
Leaving aside their draft status, the Royal Center, Indiana native will first have to beat Chad Muma, Devin Lloyd, and Ventrell Miller to earn considerable playing time. He certainly has the tools to pull it off. His tackling rate was among the best in the BCS since 2022. Similarly, his ability to bring the heat should help him get snaps as a rookie.
Sure, comparing Kiser to Posluzny is encouraging, but the Jacksonville Jaguars will probably temper expectations. If he does show out as a rookie, maybe everyone can circle back to Zaire's comments. For the time being, Kiser must focus on moving up the depth chart.