2017 NFL Draft: Notre Dame DeShone Kizer Scouting Report
By Jon Dove
Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer took advantage of an injury situation to put himself on the 2017 NFL Draft radar.
DeShone Kizer will battle Malik Zaire this spring for the right to be Notre Dame’s starting quarterback. Kizer has the upper hand at this point in the competition but things could change at any point during the season.
As a passer, he has work to do with his consistency and overall accuracy. Kizer struggles with his ball placement which often asks his receivers to make tough catches. His passes are very erratic coming in too high, behind the target or at the receiver’s feet.
It’s hard to pinpoint the source of the accuracy issue because Kizer has balance in the pocket, squares to his target and steps into his throws. Some of the issue might be due to the fact he holds the ball too long and lacks great anticipation.
Kizer doesn’t process information quick enough which leads to him standing in the pocket too long. He’s able to find success at the college level because of his athleticism and ability to gain yards with his legs. Kizer has deceptive speed and the elusiveness to make defenders miss in space.
Another area where he needs to improve is getting better touch his throws to all levels. He tends to deliver the ball on a line and doesn’t know when to take some off his throw. This is particularly a concern on deep balls.
The positives surrounding Kizer’s game surround his arm strength and leadership. Kizer generates a ton of zip on this throws and can let the ball loose deep down the field. He’s able to squeeze the ball in tight coverage and on the sideline.
Kizer isn’t afraid to take a hit or fight through contact to gain some extra yards. However, his ability as a run can lead to him vacating the pocket too early.
This is a talented prospect with upside, but has a lot of areas that need to be cleaned up before he could get some real NFL consideration.
Current Draft Range: 6th Round