After a gritty and hard-fought season, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish reached the College Football Playoff National Championship, falling to the Ohio State Buckeyes, 34-23. The Fighting Irish opened the game with an 18-play drive but could not overcome a team they haven’t defeated since 1936.
Several Notre Dame players, particularly senior linebacker Jack Kiser, were visibly distraught after the loss.
Notre Dame Linebacker Jack Kiser Distraught After National Championship Loss
Talking about his time with Notre Dame, Kiser said postgame, “I think when you look at the six years I’ve been here, what I remember is the people.
“From when I was a small, you know, underclassman just trying to learn the ways, looking at a Drew White, Bo Bauer, to being a guy running with my boys in JD [Bertrand] and Marist [Liufau], and then this year coming back and feeling like I had a chip on my shoulder and getting to meet amazing guys like Riley [Leonard] coming in and just kind of going on the journey we went on.”
The linebacker further expressed his confidence in the Fighting Irish and his head coach, Marcus Freeman.
“To have Coach Freeman — yeah, it’s about the people. It’s the people that’s made this place different. It just shows where this program is heading. The people in this building are the best, absolute best.”
If you haven't seen Jack Kiser's postgame yet, grab the tissues!
No one has played in more games at Notre Dame than Kiser. Last night the final time.
"It's about the people. It's the people that's made this place different. It just shows where this program is heading." pic.twitter.com/F2yeVQ2OdX
— Angelo Di Carlo (@angdicarlo) January 21, 2025
Throughout his six years at Notre Dame, Kiser played under two head coaches — Brian Kelly and Freeman — and accumulated 275 total tackles, including 166 solo stops, and seven pass breakups. The LB also returned two interceptions for touchdowns in his career.
In his final season, Kiser recorded 90 tackles (55 solo) and defended one pass. In the College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Ohio State, he tallied four solo tackles and one assisted tackle.
This was Kiser’s final year of eligibility, and, if he were to be selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, it would likely be in the fourth or fifth round, as widely projected.
Teams like the Green Bay Packers, who need help at linebacker, could consider picking him, especially with some of their current players, like Eric Wilson, set to become free agents.
MORE: Josh Pate Issues Reality Check for Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame
With the Dallas Cowboys in need of athletes in nearly every department, they might also consider selecting Kiser. The Philadelphia Eagles are not heavily invested in linebackers but could see Kiser as a good late-round pick, with Zack Baun possibly leaving in free agency.
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