Jaguars know Jack (Kiser): Former Notre Dame LB goes to Jacksonville in Round 4 of NFL Draft

SOUTH BEND —After setting the Notre Dame football standard for most games played, Jack Kiser might want to do a little research on former Jacksonville Jaguars center Brad Meester.
Taken Saturday afternoon by the Jaguars in the fourth round (107th overall) of the NFL Draft, Kiser becomes the only “Jack” on the Jacksonville roster.
A sure tackler and versatile special teams contributor throughout his six seasons with the Irish, Kiser played in 70 career games after growing up in small-town Royal Center, Ind. (pop. 797).
Meester, a Northern Iowa product who played at Aplington-Parkersburg High School, spent 14 seasons with the Jaguars (2000-13) and set the club record with 209 career games. The Parkersburg population is 1,983.
Kiser was the third Notre Dame player selected this year. Cornerback Benjamin Morrison (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and safety Xavier Watts (Atlanta Falcons) went in the second and third rounds, respectively, on Friday night.
Kiser also becomes the third Irish linebacker taken in the past two drafts, following Marist Liufau (Dallas Cowboys) and JD Bertrand (Falcons), who went in Rounds 3 and 5, respectively, in 2024.
“While Jack is somebody who is older in age, his field age is a little bit different,” Jaguars general manager James Gladstone told reporters. “The wear and tear on his body isn’t substantial. He’s been the driving force and the brainpower on that defensive side of the ball for Notre Dame.”
Kiser’s intangibles stood out as well for Gladstone, at 34 the second-youngest GM in NFL history.
“It’s hard to find any negative comment when you talk to sources about Jack Kiser,” Gladstone said. “He really excites us about what he can bring to the back end of that group at this stage but knowing what the future could look like for him is bright.”
The estimated contract value for the 107th overall pick is $5.12 million over four years, according to Spotrac, and $5.26 million per Over the Cap.
Familiar faces waiting for Jack Kiser in Jacksonville
With the Jaguars, Kiser will reunite with former Irish offensive tackle and team captain Robert Hainsey, a third-round pick for Tampa Bay in 2021. Hainsey, who signed a three-year, $21 million contract as a free agent this offseason, followed former Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen, now a first-time head coach with the Jaguars.
Hainsey was in attendance for Senior Day at Notre Dame Stadium in mid-November when Kiser was honored for eclipsing Houston Griffith’s games-played mark in an Irish uniform.
When the scoreboard showed Hainsey during a break in the action, it gave Kiser a chance to rib some of his younger teammates.
“Robert Hainsey got put up on the screen, and guys were like, ‘Who’s that?’ “ Kiser said afterward of the former three-year Irish starter. “I was on scout team against him (in 2019). It was really cool to see him come back and get up there.”
Now Kiser and Hainsey join forces again on a revamped Jaguars roster that plays in the AFC South. That means annual visits back home to Indianapolis for road games against the division rival Colts.
The Jaguars sagged to 4-13 last season but won nine games in each of the previous two years, including a playoff appearance in 2022. Jacksonville’s defense ranked 27th out of 32 NFL teams in average points allowed (25.6) last season.
Newly hired Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile shares a connection with Kiser through former Irish quarterback Steve Angeli. Vito Campanile, the coach’s brother, was Angeli’s coach at Bergen Catholic High School in New Jersey, while brother Nunzio Campanile is Angeli’s new position coach after his transfer to Syracuse.
Former Irish senior offensive analyst Trevor Mendolson (2021-22) also is on staff with the Jaguars as an offensive assistant.
Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.