The top quarterback in the 2017 NFL draft class may be Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer, who announced Monday on Bleacher Report that he will forgo his senior season and become a professional.
Notre Dame QB DeShone Kizer enters 2017 NFL draft
DeShone Kizer will forgo his senior year at Notre Dame and could be the No. 1 quarterback off the board in April.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Kizer, a 6’4, 230-pound passer from Toledo, Ohio finished his junior season at Notre Dame with 26 passing touchdown, nine interceptions, and eight rushing touchdowns. Despite his solid statistics, the Fighting Irish finished the season 4-8 and Kizer was even benched at one point for Malik Zaire, as Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly looked for a spark.
“He has given me the keys,” Kizer said in September, per the Chicago Tribune. “To go 1-3 and not come up on some big drives at the end of games, that all falls on me as the commander of this offense. ... I haven’t done that well lately.”
Many criticized Kelly’s handling of the situation, though, and thought Kizer was given a tough situation in Notre Dame. Among Kelly’s critics was former Fighting Irish quarterback Jimmy Clausen who foreshadowed Kizer’s decision in October:
While Kizer didn’t seem to inspire the confidence of Kelly, NFL scouts have kept a close eye on the quarterback. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, one scout for the Cleveland Browns “spent an inordinate amount of time in South Bend, Indiana” to watch Kizer.
The Browns reportedly have an “astronomical grade” on Texas A&M pass rusher Myles Garrett, who should likely be considered the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in April. But Cleveland also owns the first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, which could land in the top 10.
Aside from the Browns, there are other teams projected to finish with high draft picks that could be ready for a new quarterback under center, including the San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears.
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