Cleveland Browns select DeShone Kizer
With the 52nd-overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns selected DeShone Kizer, quarterback of of the University of Notre Dame.
Kizer is one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft. He started for a pair of seasons at Notre Dame, and the team was mostly an underachieving group. In his redshirt freshman season, Kizer was able to lead the team to the Fiesta Bowl, where things went wrong against Ohio State. Last year, the wheels completely fell off, leading to only four wins.
As for his personal performance, Kizer was able to throw for 47 touchdowns against 19 interceptions in those two campaigns. Without question, Kizer had the size at 6-foot-4 and 233 pounds to play the position, while showcasing arm strength and nice mobility. That said, there are some red flags that need to be addressed.
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 233
40-time: 4.83
Bench: N/A
Vertical: 30.5”
Broad: 107”
3-cone: 7.40
Of all the statistics that usually hold true from college to the NFL, it’s passing accuracy. Kizer was not overly-accurate with the Fighting Irish, especially in his second year. After completing 63 percent of his throws in 2015, he regressed badly to hit on just 58.9 percent of his attempts in 2016.
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This has to be a concern, regardless of scheme and coaching. Kizer, though, does possess enough tools that he should be viewed as a potential franchise quarterback. If he can get his mechanics smoothed out, this could be a home run for the future of the franchise. Time will tell, but Kizer at least offers the hope of a leader at the game’s most important position.