High School and College Career

Isaiah McGuire was a 3-star recruit and committed to the University of Missouri. During his freshman year in 2019, he played in six games, accumulating a total of 65 snaps for the Tigers and made six tackles.

In 2020, McGuire played in 10 games as a sophomore and played a total of 411 snaps for the Tigers. He had 10 tackles, 12 total pressures, six QB hurries, three QB hits, and three sacks throughout the year.

In 2021, McGuire played in all 13 games and contributed on 627 snaps. He made significant strides, recording a total of 40 tackles, 37 total pressures, including 23 QB hurries, 8 QB hits, and 6 sacks for the year.

In 2022, his senior year, McGuire played in 12 games, for a total of 515 snaps. He recorded 28 tackles, 35 total pressures. McGuire tallied 21 QB hurries, seven QB hits, and seven sacks throughout the season.

Isaiah McGuire Scouting Report Introduction

Isaiah McGuire, a three-star recruit from Oklahoma, had a successful career as a defensive lineman for the Missouri Tigers. As a starter for 30 games, McGuire’s statistics prove his impact on the defensive front, with 28 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles across his final two seasons.

McGuire’s athletic abilities make him a promising prospect in the NFL. With a combination of power, flexibility, urgency, and athleticism, he stands out while rushing, where his temperament and off-ball urgency are immediately noticeable. He uses dynamic hand movements, with a rip move that allows him to modify rush angles, and his flexibility enables him to corner edges. Additionally, McGuire exhibits constant effort on every play and enthusiasm to rally to the football. McGuire’s understanding of rush angles and utilization of his feet to complement his rush plan shows his year-over-year growth as an ascending talent.

In terms of defending the run, McGuire exhibits functional strength to set the edge while also disrupting off the edge. His length and abilities make him an attractive fit as both a 3-4 outside linebacker and hand-in-the-dirt even front end. However, McGuire’s weaknesses include the need for increased strength to convert speed to power and threaten the width of the pocket further. Additionally, a minor gripe was his lack of control, which may prevent him from finishing plays with consistency. McGuire’s projection as a 3-4 outside linebacker is limited, given his lack of experience in that position.

McGuire’s strengths make him a quality rotational player, and with increased play strength, he could potentially become an NFL starter. While he may benefit from more twitch and suddenness in his game, McGuire’s physical profile certainly stands out among NFL hopefuls.

Strengths

He possesses a quick burst off the line and can time the snap well, allowing him to excel in pass-rush situations. His excellent motor allows him to demonstrate his stamina and stay competitive and fierce throughout the game, even deep into the fourth quarter. His quick first step and fluid movements off the ball make him a dangerous player on the field, and his highly competitive and fierce nature, coupled with his nonstop motor, makes him more effective.

McGuire is naturally explosive and displays decent get-off speed, making him a challenging player to stop. He is balanced through contact and stout against double teams, which helps him to tackle. Additionally, he is versatile and has a body type that enables him to play many roles. He can dip around the edge and use quick, heavy hands effectively to ward off blockers, making him a worthy adversary on the field.

One of McGuire’s most relevant skills is his outstanding range. He is able to chase in backside pursuit and can display surprising range for a player his size.

Weaknesses

McGuire could improve his hand use. While he does use his hands, there are times when he is inconsistent with how he deploys them. Similarly, he could use more active hands to be more effective on the field.

Furthermore, McGuire cannot always shed blockers, which can hinder his ability to make plays. This is a problem that may arise from his limited use of his hands. The lack of ideal lateral movement skills is another issue, as it can impact his ability to move effectively on the field. To be successful as a football player, McGuire may need to focus on improving these skills.

Lastly, McGuire could make better use of his length comes to pass rushing. Improving his technique in these areas could make him a more effective player in this aspect of the game.

Isaiah McGuire is the 137th prospect on our draft big board.