Arizona Cardinals: Kizer will need a lot of mentoring
By Scott Allen
The Arizona Cardinals may be looking to draft a quarterback in the 2017 NFL Draft
One of the quarterbacks the Arizona Cardinals have been linked to in the 2017 NFL Draft is Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer. On Monday, his college coach, Brian Kelly, said he thinks Kizer should have stayed in school.
Kelly, speaking to SiriusXM’s NFL Radio, said he thought Kizer should have come back for another season. He also said though he will support him and his decision to move on to the NFL.
If you missed our interview with @NDFootball HC, Brian Kelly, hear it in full right now on demand:https://t.co/iRnLeXr4rv
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) April 3, 2017
Very interesting words. There are a number of experts that think despite Kizer’s good arm he could use a little more maturing. He was the starter after week two in 2015, replacing Malik Zarie.
As I pointed out a couple of days ago, his 2016 statistics look better on paper than his 2015 stats. The eyeball test though will tell you he was more consistent in 2015. He also had a better pass completion.
No doubt Kizer has the size and the arm to play in the NFL. It is all the intangibles some are worried about. Hearing Kelly on Monday would seem to echo those sentiments.
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Someone will take Kizer high in the draft though. The Cardinals could be one of those teams. Kizer is a better fit for a team that doesn’t need him to come in and start right away.
Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer has indicated he would like to mentor a young quarterback. Someone like Kizer would be perfect for him and also gives Palmer up to two years of playing time.
As a Notre Dame fan I’ve seen every game Kizer has played in. He certainly could use another year of school. So could a lot of other players though.
In this day and age and the way the NFL business works, financially Kizer may have made a good decision. There is no telling if Kizer’s stock would rise or even fall with another year at Notre Dame.