Another incoming senior linebacker that has caught my attention is Hayden Kiser Hayden Kiser 6'0" | 210 lbs | LB Madison Central | 2024 State KY from Madison Central. In just nine games last season, Kiser finished second on the team with 65 tackles along with four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Kiser plays inside linebacker and does a great job of reading his keys and reacting quickly. He flows to the ball very well and has shown the ability to fight through blocks on his way to the ball carrier. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he has proven to be a very reliable tackler in the open field. Kiser has also shown that he is very comfortable dropping back into pass coverage and reading route combinations. Hayden doesn’t currently hold any offers but I expect some to come his way soon as he has been receiving a nice amount of college interest.

An athletic and fundamentally sound inside linebacker, Kiser displays an excellent initial downhill/read step that enables him to quickly and explosively contact opposing players at the line of scrimmage and/or scrape over defensive linemen with exceptional balance and leverage. While the most prominent attribute of his game currently appears to be his speed and agility, he also possesses the strength and power necessary to stalemate blockers and square up on ball carriers with sound, balanced technique. In 9 total games last season, his high motor and ability to run sideline-to-sideline enabled him to contribute 25 solo tackles, 40 assists, 4 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Listed at 195 pounds on last season’s roster, some might deem him a bit undersized to play his current interior defensive position, but his quickness, aggressiveness and “hit-ability” enable him to play much larger than one might initially assume.