2017 NFL Draft: Breaking down Notre Dame QB DeShone Kizer

Overall Evaluation

DeShone Kizer is the most comfortable pocket thrower in this year’s draft class; not phased often and is consistent with footwork. He has a great pump fake, fluid throwing motion, and a generally good feel for the pro style offense. 

Kizer makes some really bad throws. Around 2-4 a game. That has to be cleaned up. Inconsistent in almost every category like his deep ball. Can throw a receiver open with a dime of a throw forty yards down field one play; then overthrow a wide open receiver by ten yards the next.

Deshone gets lazy with short throws. He throws a fat lob one play then comes back and pegs a crosser ten feet in front of him.

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Good news is, Kizer has shown he can make all the throws.

Andrew Luck mobility and pocket prescience style— meaning Kizer is not fast (4.83 40 time) but can do what he has to do to turn a negative into a positive. He is hard to bring down in the pocket and has shades of Luck in the pocket. Has become very comfortable stepping up past the rush.

• Pump fake and roll out/broken play very reminiscent of Roethlisberger.
• Can not close games.
• Is a fourth quarter travesty.

Pro Comparison

Ben Roethlisberger

Steve McNair

Nick Foles

Texans Report

The Texans were present at the Notre Dame pro day. Houston head coach Bill O’Brien has close ties to Kizer’s college head coach Brian Kelly, who has been adamant that his former quarterback should have stayed in college one more year.

The Texans also drafted former Notre Dame center and Kizer’s number one target in Nick Martin and Will Fuller in last year’s NFL Draft. With all of these resources, the Texans should have the most accurate reports on the young signal-caller.

This means Houston will either have Kizer high on their draft board or off of it all-together. Look for the Texans to lean on the former rather than the latter—as he fits the quarterback O’Brien wants.