Film Room: Tommy Ziesmer

Recruiting momentum is starting to build for the Kentucky football program. Tommy Ziesmer is the latest commitment for the Big Blue.

The Danville (Ky.) Boyle County product will be a senior this upcoming season and is the No. 561 prospect in the 2023 class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

After a recruitment with heavy involvement from West Virginia, Ziesmer decided to make a final decision in May and became the fourth in-state prospect to join the program in the class of 2023.

What will the newest commitment bring to Kentucky? Step into the KSR Film Room to find out as Tommy Ziesmer is an instinctive player with short area burst and a strong motor.

Moving over to the next level, there are going to be some size concerns for Tommy Ziesmer. The latest measurement has the edge prospect checking in at 6-foot-1 and 242 pounds. The defensive end needs to add some weight to his frame, but a long reach allows him to play bigger than his size. Still, the line of scrimmage player will often lose the weight battle at the next level. Therefore, short-area quickness is a non-negotiable, and Ziesmer has that in spades.

Lined up as a three-technique (outside shoulder of right guard) Ziesmer flashes some strong burst. The prospect blows by the guard on the screen concept and closes quickly on the quarterback without overrunning the play. A quick game call by the offense that should never end in a sack ends in a sack due to the explosion by Ziesmer. The strong effort leads to a defensive touchdown. On tape, the newest Kentucky commitment plays very hard and that leads to some explosive plays thanks to his burst off of the snap.

At Kentucky, Tommy Ziesmer projects to play the field position defensive end spot that usually lines up to the strong side of the formation and aligns across from the offensive tackle. Played by both Josh Paschal and Tre’vonn Rybka last year, this position must play with violence in hand-to-hand combat as setting the edge and playing the run is crucial for this position. Ziesmer has flashed the ability to be an effective run stuffer.

On the jet sweep design that is run into the field, Ziesmer does a great job of taking on a double team, using good hand placement, and playing with leverage. The ability to beat the blocks allows him to come off and make a play on the football. With some help from good cornerback leverage, Ziesmer once again flashes his motor and makes a play on the ball down the field. The UK commit has the power and striking ability to be a dependable run support player.

Tommy Ziesmer is a power player first. Football will always be a game of physicality, and the prospect seems to thrive when it’s time to strike. The defensive end forklifts the left tackle as weight room work shows up on the field on the pass rush rep.

There will be plenty of Josh Paschal comps when Tommy Ziesmer’s fit at Kentucky is brought up. The Boyle County product has a similar skillset to Paschal specifically when it comes to shooting gaps.

On the pass rush rep, Ziesmer takes advantage of the wide pass rush set by the left tackle and shoots the B gap. The defensive end gets skinny through the hole and squeezes through a short window while keeping his shoulders square. Quite often, we saw Paschal create pressures and big run stops by shooting gaps with his quickness and high-level play recognition ability. Ziesmer could end up doing something similar at Kentucky.

The defensive line is entering a big prove it year in 2022 at Kentucky with a bunch of third-year players who are looking to turn into high-level contributors. The entire room could be back for 2023, but college football programs have to build for the future and must consistently add depth. Tommy Ziesmer will play a role in the future of the defensive line at Kentucky.

The local product is a clear scheme fit for Kentucky’s hybrid front as Ziesmer should be able to hold up against the run playing against offensive tackles and has the short-area burst to be a havoc producer. On passing downs, Ziesmer has upside as an interior rusher. There is a lot to like about this prospect.

Some weight needs to be added and there may be size concerns, but the latest Kentucky commit has a great motor, flashes raw power, and owns good athleticism for the position. Those are some good ingredients to start a college career with.