Notre Dame football OT foregoes two years of eligibility, enters NFL draft

Notre Dame football offensive tackle Blake Fisher has decided that it’s time for him to go pro. He’s giving up two years of eligibility and a bowl game.

Fisher announced on X on Friday that he was officially declaring for the NFL draft. He’s getting started on the goal of being selected right away and will miss the Sun Bowl as well.

“The opportunity to play for Notre Dame and be part of this community has been incredible, and I am grateful for every moment,” Fisher wrote. “Saturdays in South Bend will always have a special place in my heart and I will cherish them forever!”

In announcing that he’s going to the NFL draft, Fisher added that he wants to represent Notre Dame football well and make the fans proud.

Fisher’s decision comes as a bit of a surprise as he was expected to attend Notre Dame for at least one more season. There are plenty of analysts who believe the offensive tackle needed another year to polish his game and make him a high draft pick.

Part of the driving force behind those opinions is that the Irish offensive line outside of Joe Alt didn’t impress onlookers all that much in 2023. However, Fisher’s season in general, was solid, if not spectacular.

Notre Dame football’s Blake Fisher going pro

According to PFF, Fisher was the third-best pass blocker on the o-line. He garnered a 72.5 grade there, behind Alt and Zeke Correll.

He got a 72.1 offensive grade, and a 70.5 run-blocking grade. Among the 255 FBS offensive tackles who played at least 467 snaps, Fisher was ranked in those respective categories tied for No. 47, tied for No. 40 and tied for No. 94

Fisher came in quite a bit more heralded than that. When he was a Notre Dame football commit, he was the No. 6 offensive tackle and No. 26 overall player in the 2021 recruiting class, according to Rivals.