Former Florida State DT Braden Fiske talks surge in interest after impressive combine showing
Fiske played the 2023 season at FSU after 5 seasons at Western Michigan
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former FSU defensive tackle Braden Fiske is entering the 2024 NFL draft with some serious momentum.
The 6 feet, 5 inch, 297 pound lineman, who spent five seasons at Western Michigan before entering the transfer portal in 2023, was a standout at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis earlier this month, going viral on social media with his 4.78 40-yard dash.
Braden Fiske, #DL07 of Florida State, runs the 40-yard dash during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 29, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
"At least I knew I was running faster than I ever ran before," Fiske told Fox News Digital in an interview on Thursday.
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"After I hit my first 10 yards I was like, 'All right, we're really rolling. We can make a good time here.’"
The NFL shared an overlay of Fiske’s run in comparison to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes who ran a 4.80 back in 2017.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It was a cool opportunity to be on the same screen as him, and hopefully I'll be chasing him around here in two and a half months, whatever it is."
For his position, Fiske had the top score in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, board jump, and the 20-yard shuttle, and finished in the top five for the 10-yard split and bench press. Early projections had Fiske as an early second round pick, but analysts like the NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah suggest, "He might end up finding his way into the bottom of the first round."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fiske told Fox News Digital that interest around him has certainly picked up since his strong performance at the combine.
Braden Fiske, #DL07 of Florida State, participates in a drill during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 29, 2024 in Indianapolis. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
"Oh, 100%, yeah. And it started to really build up after the Senior Bowl. And then I kind of was able to kind of ride that into the combine, and after the combine it just kind of exploded. I've got meetings set up – it seems to be every day of the week, whether it's with teams, interviews, whatever it may be. But it's been awesome."
"Did I expect it to be this hectic? Maybe not, but now that it's here, I'm just so grateful for the opportunity," he continued.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Defensive lineman Braden Fiske, #94 of Florida State from the National Team, is being defended by offensive lineman Charles Turner III#69 of LSU from the American Team, during the 2024 Reese's Senior Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of the University of South Alabama on Feb. 3, 2024 in Mobile, Alabama. The National Team defeated the American Team 16 to 7. (Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
Since declaring for the draft, Fiske has captured the attention of many, including Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, who just last month reacted to a video of Fiske on social media calling him a "Dawg."
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Fiske says he has had several people reach out with advice, but his biggest support has been New York Jets linebacker Zaire Barnes, who was his roommate at Western Michigan.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"He's the one that's been able to really prep me the most, more than anybody. Just tells me to be me, go do it the way I do it. And I handle my business pretty well. And he just says, 'make yourself stick out.' And luckily, I've been able to do that so far."
Braden Fiske, #55 of the Western Michigan Broncos, sacks Nate Cox, #16 of the Nevada Wolf Pack, during the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field on Dec. 27, 2021 in Detroit. (Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
"He's definitely been a huge impact for me for sure," he added.
Fiske, who is from Michigan City, Indiana, started in all 13 games at Florida State, where he recorded 43 tackles, including 9.0 for loss with 6.0 sacks, and five quarterback hurries. At Western Michigan, he recorded 148 tackles, including 27.5 for loss with 13.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries across 30 starts.
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