Isaiah Land is an edge rusher who probably won’t look at that position at the next level unless he adds some significant weight to his frame. Entered the transfer portal at the end of April for about 6 days before declaring he’d be back at Florida A&M despite fielding SEC and other big school offers. Land showed out at the Senior Bowl and proved he could play with the big boys, and then tested well at the NFL Combine after putting 10 pounds on after the Senior Bowl. 

Isaiah Land has some upside and ability, the question is more on what position he will play at the next level. He’s put on substantial weight since he came out, over 15 pounds, and looks more and more like he could settle into a Haasan Reddick-type role. He’s got to continue to work on his strength and coverage, and once he gets there, he can be a very solid player in the NFL. 

Florida A&M's Isaiah Land is able to lock out on Georgia OT Warren McClendon despite being undersized. Pad level and levers! pic.twitter.com/7p3annXjrQ

— Cory (@fakecorykinnan) February 1, 2023

Suffered a knee injury in 2022 that forced him to miss a few games. 

Isaiah Land’s scouting report

Athletic Ability (30)

Speed/Athleticism: 20 

• Speed (6.5/8) – Very quick and fluid athlete. Moves well. Has good straight line speed. 
• Lateral Quickness (5/7) – Shows good, not great, lateral ability. Good, quick feet. Has solid athleticism. 
• Body Control (3/5) – Body control is decent. Doesn’t have great body control. 

Strength/Power: 10

• Upper Body Strength (2/3) – Looks like he has good upper body strength. Struggles to wrap up but shows good arm strength. 
• Lower Body Strength (2/3) – Fairly explosive defender. Shows good get off. Accelerates fairly well. 
• Brute Power (1.5/4) – Not a brute, very much an athletic finesse type player. 

Defending Ability (40) 

Tackling/Pursuit: 15

• Tackling Ability (4.5/8) – Poor tackler, struggles to get hands on and properly wrap up. Destroyed smaller players when he had opportunities but struggled with bigger bodies. Missed tackle rate is high (28% over his career). 
• Pursuit Angles (3.5/7) – Angles are average at best. I just don’t see a whole lot from Land like I want to as a run defender. 

Blitz Ability: 10

• Blitz Timing (4.5/5) – Excellent blitzer. Times his gaps very well. Feels the play well as a pass rusher. 
• Pass Rushing Ability (4/5) – Posted ridiculous numbers in 2021 as a pass rusher, registering 19 sacks and 30 hurries. Doesn’t show a lot of hand technique. Has good bend to work under blocks, balance could be better. 

Coverage Ability: 15

• Space Defending (2.5/5) – Doesn’t show a lot of ability containing an edge. Struggled to make plays in space, missed tackle percentage is very concerning. 
• Man Coverage (2.5/5) – Has athleticism and some length to play in man coverage. Doesn’t show a lot of twitch ability, may be limited in this regard. 
• Zone Coverage (3/5) – Suitable zone coverage player. Moves well within the zone. 

Intel/Instincts (25)

Football IQ: 10

• Play Recognition (3/5) – Struggles to recognize the play, wondering if he can be a better run defender. 
• Understanding of Concepts (2.5/5) – Doesn’t have the understanding of offensive concepts yet, still learning to see this aspect of the game. 

Instincts: 15 

• Natural Instincts (6/10) – Fairly instinctive. Doesn’t show a lot of ability consistently. Struggles to make the proper decisions. 
• Consistency (3/5) – Concerned with his motor and how he gives up on a play so often. Has to play with better discipline. 

Overall: (68) – 6th/PFA