Ravens EDGE Showing Promise After Injury-Plagued Rookie Season

As Adisa Isaac enters his second NFL season, the Baltimore Ravens still don't really know what they have in the young edge rusher.

Isaac, the No. 93 overall pick out of Penn State in last year's draft, only appeared in four games as a rookie as he dealt with multiple injuries. Even when he did play, the 23-year-old was only on the field for a grand total of 32 defensive snaps, recording four total tackles (one for loss) and a pass breakup.

So far, though, Isaac looks like a player potentially primed for a breakout. He had four tackles and a sack in Thursday's preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts, and his coaches have seen a clear difference in his game compared to last season.

"He is really starting to play with physicality, I would say," head coach John Harbaugh told reporters Monday. "That's probably the biggest thing, for me, is [that] he looks really strong coming off the edge. He's knocking back tight ends. He's stalemating tackles, and he's really hitting all those pull [and] kickout schemes really well. And [his] pass rush has been more physical, too, so the physicality probably would be the thing."

With a full offseason to work with, Isaac took the time to focus on his endurance first and foremost, and it's already paying off.

"The more conditioning you have, the better you play through four quarters when you really need it," Isaac said. "[I'm] working on that, working on my strength, my body. Just working on different pass rush moves that I feel fit in my game and just keep stacking from there."

Isaac has also strengthened his relationships with his fellow edge rushers - including Odafe Oweh, his former teammate at Penn State, and David Ojabo. All three of them played in the New York/New Jersey area while growing up.

"[Odafe Oweh and Adisa Isaac] are always joking, and they're always – I think Adisa is always trying to be in his hip pocket a little bit [and] pick up what he can," outside linebackers coach Matt Robinson told reporters. "They're different players at the point of attack, at times, but I really like their relationship. It's cool to see. And the fact that the same thing [happened] with 'Jab' [David Ojabo] and 'Dafe' [Odafe Oweh], it's cool to have guys who grew up playing with each other. I think that relationship helps them when they're out there. They can trust each other, and it's cool to watch."