How Penn State’s Adisa Isaac fits with the Baltimore Ravens

Penn State was expected to be well-represented early in the 2024 NFL draft. Adisa Isaac was a popular pick to be the third Nittany Lion off the board after Olu Fashanu and Chop Robinson. His teammate Caedan Wallace shockingly beat him out for that honor, but the Baltimore Ravens didn’t let him slide out of day 2.

The Ravens selected Isaac at 93rd overall to boost their pass rush after losing their top edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney. Isaac is the ultimate high-floor edge player, something the Ravens covet. He will have an immediate impact as a run defender for their defense, allowing the other more pass-rush-focused players to stay fresh.

Isaac isn’t the most polished pass rusher at this point in his career, but the Ravens have a strong track record of developing edge players. He also gets to reunite with former teammates Odafe Oweh and Jordan Stout. This is about as good an environment for him to start his pro career in as he could have hoped.

Isaac should have the opportunity to find playing time early in his career, as the Ravens typically rotate their edge rushers frequently. He should have the inside track to be at least the fourth edge, primarily playing on early downs. He was a great run defender for the Nittany Lions, and I think it will translate to the NFL.

If he wants to become a true starter, however, he does need to add moves to his pass-rush arsenal. Right now, he primarily just tries to win with speed around the edge, and his success rate is very hit-or-miss. He should have enough size and athleticism to improve, but he never put it all together as a college player.

As I mentioned before, the Ravens are one of the best at developing edge rushers. If anyone can get Isaac to reach his ceiling, it’s them. Even if he never becomes a true starter, he should be valuable depth for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. Hard to complain about that.

Story originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire