Kiser: : tweets n bits n articles n vids n stuff

Vincent Bonsignore@DailyNewsVinny
#Rams needed a smart, productive, 3-4 ILB and that’s exactly what Virginia’s Micah Kiser is. He has to prove he can do it in the #NFL but the motor, intelligence and skill set is there.

Alden Gonzalez@Alden_Gonzalez
Micah Kiser might be the most polished player the Rams have drafted so far.

Rich Hammond@Rich_Hammond
Kiser’s bio says he has a degree in foreign affairs and already is working on his master’s degree. Team GPA is going through the roof this we

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/micah-kiser?id=32462018-0002-5598-88b5-b670384392ed

6′ 0″
238 lbs
32” ARMS

Kiser has used his instincts, hustle, and powerful tackling to become one of the most productive linebackers (both against the run and as a pass rusher) in the country during his three years on the field with the Cavaliers. The two-time All-Maryland pick and Baltimore Sun’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2012, Kiser redshirted his first year in Charlottesville. He made 15 tackles in 12 games as a reserve as a freshman, tying for the team lead with nine stops on special teams. Kiser was installed in the middle of the Cavs’ defense in 2015 and finished his second-team All-ACC sophomore year with a conference-leading 115 tackles (13 for loss, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles). The hits kept coming in his junior campaign, as Kiser was a first-team Associated Press All-American and All-ACC pick after ranking third in the country with 11.2 tackles per game (134 total, 10 for loss, 6.5 sacks, seven passes defensed) and tying for fifth in the FBS with five forced fumbles. He ranked among the nation’s leaders in tackles again in 2017, receiving third-team AP All-American and first-team All-ACC honors with 145 stops (50 solo), 9.5 for loss, five sacks, four pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries.

By Lance Zierlein
NFL Analyst
Draft Projection
Round 4
Overview
Kiser’s impressive production didn’t happen on accident and teams will have to weigh his consistent ability to make plays with his modest athletic ability and overall play speed. Kiser is a banger built to play inside the box, but he has limited range and may not offer much coverage ability. Unless he runs well and puts together a solid workout, he could fall in this draft, but his toughness and production give him a shot to be a backup.
Strengths
Built with a sturdy base and banger’s frame
Quick to diagnose and respond
Makes tackles near the line of scrimmage and doesn’t wait on running backs to get to him
Recognizes cutback lanes and fills the fit to look up runners in the cutback lane
Tough guy who likes contact
Brings it to second level climbing blockers with stiff shoulder or a powerful punch
Has the play strength and leverage advantage to play under blocker’s pads
Willing to fire downhill into his run fits to close off the lane
Never over-pursues
Tackle production and impact play totals are staggering with 397 tackles, 33.5 tackles for losses, 19 sacks and eight forced fumbles over three years as a starter
Weaknesses
Possesses thickly bundled hips that limit bend and movement
Short stepper short area trigger burst
Needs to do better job of dropping pad level as a tackler
Running backs can drive through his contact and fall forward for additional yardage
Makes a lot of tackles but will miss a lot of tackles as well
Below average play speed and burst create challenging tackle angles once he gets to the spot
Gradual in his change of direction movement
Doesn’t have desired NFL range
Sluggish lateral quickness means he better diagnose early
Is a liability in man coverage
Will struggle to match patterns from man coverage

RamBill

2018 NFL Draft: Micah Kiser is a perfect fit for the Rams’ defense
The Virginia LB should mesh well in Los Angeles

https://www.streakingthelawn.com/2018/4/28/17296632/2018-nfl-draft-micah-kiser-a-perfect-fit-for-the-rams-defense-los-angeles-virginia-uva

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Micah Kiser selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the fifth round
Virginia linebacker heading west after going at the No. 147 overall pick.

https://www.streakingthelawn.com/2018/4/28/17296432/2018-nfl-draft-micah-kiser-selected-by-the-los-angeles-rams-in-the-fifth-round-virginia-uva

After Winning Campbell Trophy, Kiser Ready for Challenge of NFL

Myles Simmons

http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-1/After-Winning-Campbell-Trophy-Kiser-Ready-for-Challenge-of-NFL/1b6f3ef4-adfd-472f-8752-bd37e571e18a

Rams rookie linebacker Micah Kiser is best known on the field for leading the ACC in tackles three years in a row. It’s a feat previously accomplished by now Panthers All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly.

“I just play hard — that’s just what I do,” Kiser said this week. “You play linebacker, you want to make as many tackles as you can. So [I’m a] hard-nose player, [give] great effort all the time, and I was really smart so I could make a lot of plays.’

But if there’s anything that separates Kiser from many of the players in his draft class, it’s what he said about being “really smart.” Sure, it’s tough to be a football player at any level and succeed without a proper above-the-neck approach. But the Virginia product takes that to a very high level.

Kiser was awarded the Campbell Trophy after the 2017 season. You may not have heard of the honor, but it’s given by the National Football Foundation to the college football player with the best combination of academics, community service, and on-field performance.

Informally, it’s known as the academic Heisman.

So, yes, that was a big deal for Kiser and his family.

“My parents raised me to do everything I can to the best of my abilities, so they invested in me going to good schools from an early age — great high schools, great middle schools,” Kiser said. “I went to a great University at UVA that had great influences and people to help me out. I took advantage of everything I had in my life and wanted to be the best at everything I was doing. On field, I was striving to be the best and then off field I was striving to be the best as well.

“That’s just the kind of guy I am,” Kiser continued. “That’s what my makeup is all about and I want to keep doing that in the future.”

It seems like it would be difficult to balance being so successful in both academics and athletics, but Kiser said his support system at Virginia enabled him to be successful in both areas.

“I’ve been doing it my whole life really,” Kiser said. “I went to the Gilman School in Baltimore which is a pretty hard school, a college-preparatory school. But we also had great athletics as well, so I was balancing those then. Went to UVA and like I said, the athletic administration there is great at helping you, getting you the academic support you need. And the coaching staff is great. I had a lot of positive influences and a lot of great help, so they made it — I’m not going to say easy ,but they helped me along the way. I just took advantage of it all.”

Kiser graduated from UVA with a bachelor’s degree in foreign affairs and is pursuing a master’s degree in higher education.

“I’m halfway through that,” he said. “I’m very interested in athletic administration and hopefully when I get some time, I can go back and finish that.”

But until then, he’s focusing on football — a game he loves and is quite passionate about.

“I can remember early on in life when I was six years old, when I turned six the Ravens had won the Super Bowl,” Kiser said. “I was very big into football and my dad got us the Super Bowl tape and every Saturday I used to watch basically the whole season from start to finish. I would watch it every single Saturday and I would know all the players. For my sixth birthday, I got my own room and it was Ravens-themed. I got all the players autographs and just loved the game from an early age.

“I played flag football, played tackle football since I was eight, played high school ball. Just always been around football and being on a team, being around the guys, and just working hard and being selfless to achieve something greater than yourself,” Kiser continued. “That’s what this culture here with the Rams is all about. It’s we not me and it’s the standard and that’s just all about being bought in for the team. Just how I came up and coming up here is a great fit.”