Former Notre Dame QB Deshone Kizer Beyond Impressive in Debut
Former Notre Dame quarterback Deshone Kizer may have fallen to the 2nd round of the NFL Draft and may have been 3rd on the Browns depth chart heading into their pre-season opener Thursday night, but he did not play like a #3 QB at all. No sir, Deshone Kizer put on a show in his NFL preseason debut for the quarterback starved Cleveland Browns.
Kizer entered the game in the second half after Brock Osweiler started the game and Cody Kessler finished out the first half. The two combined to score a total of 7 points against the Saints – a team not known for their defensive prowess. Kizer played the 2nd half and led the Browns to 13 points including the game winning touchdown with less than two minutes to go.
Before the game winning score, Kizer uncorked this 52 yard bomb that came up just short of being a touchdown. Terrence Magee punched in the score from a yard out though.
.@DKizer_14 going DEEEEEEP.
AdvertisementGot 'em. #NOvsCLE https://t.co/062xVHQg5g
— NFL (@NFL) August 11, 2017
From that point on, Kizer was locked in. Then there was the 45 yard game winning touchdown thrown with the blitz descending on him on 4th and 2.
DESHONE KIZER!!!
WOWOWOWOW. #NOvsCLE https://t.co/9Wrm60EHpc
— NFL (@NFL) August 11, 2017
Kizer finished the game 11 of 18 for 184 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions playing the entire 2nd half of the game. Now, you could argue that it’s meaningless since he was playing against the 3rd team defense, but remember, he was also throwing to reserve wide receivers who are unlikely to make the roster and getting protected by reserve linemen fighting for roster spots and spots on the practice squad.
He wasn’t flawless. Some of the issues that plagued his time at Notre Dame were still there tonight. He held onto the ball too long at times resulting in some unnecessary sacks, but he also showed off enough potential to give the Browns every reason to continue to give him more snaps in practice and accelerate his development.
Notre Dame could really use Kizer to become a NFL star too. The Irish have not produced a Pro Bowl quarterback since Steve Beuerlein. Notre Dame has produced one of the NFL’s best lineman – Zack Martin – and one of it’s best safeties – Harrison Smith. Kyle Rudolph and Tyler Eifert could become elite NFL tight ends as well if they are able to stay healthy. The more positions that Notre Dame has former players staring in the NFL the better as recruits with NFL aspirations look at that.
This was just the first preseason game, but it was still a more than impressive debut for Kizer especially considering the miserable luck the Browns have had at the quarterback position for the last 30 years.
The Browns don’t play again until August 21 so Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson will have some time to figure out what he is going to do with his depth chart. Osweiler and Kessler are what they are, but they will have to decide if they would rather go the route of letting Kizer sit in 2017 and develop before throwing him into the fire and letting him learn on the fly. If Kizer keeps playing this preseason like he did tonight, he might force their hand.
Frank Vitovitch has been Co-Owner and Editor in Chief of UHND.com since joining forces with Kyle Flavin in 1999. Since that time, he has written over 2,000 articles covering Notre Dame football, recruiting, and basketball. He also works with all staff and external writers on all articles published on UHND.com. Frank's love for Notre Dame football started at a young age watching Rocket Ismail give opposing coaches ulcers in the late 1980's. By day Frank works in marketing and holds a degree in Digital Media from Drexel University. Frank's work has been cited by online/print editions of NBC Sports, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated and has been quoted on air by ESPN's Collin Cowherd. He's conducted interviews with Notre Dame legends Rocket Ismail, Randy Kinder, Lee Becton, Reggie Brooks, Michael Stonebreaker, and Ned Bolcar among others over his 20+ years of covering Notre Dame football. He's also been published in the print edition of USA Today Sports Weekly and the USA Today College Football Preview multiple times. Other Published Works/Citations for Frank Three Reasons Notre Dame Will Beat Alabama - USA Today Notre Dame Suspends WR Kevin Stepherson, RB C.J. Holmes Indefinitely - Bleacher Report Notre Dame / Ohio State Fiesta Bowl Preview - Eleven Warriors Brace Yourself: The Fighting Irish are Relevant Again - Sports on Earth Interviews with the Enemy: A Q&A with Frank Vitovitch of UHND - Yahoo! Sports Five Good Minutes: Notre Dame Football Preview With UHND.com - BC Interruption Vicious Electronic Questioning with UHND - MGO Blog
I love ND and my Brownies! However, don’t get Kizer fitted for his HOF sport coat just yet. Why he does show poise and intelligence early in his pro career, his arm strength is questionable. Time will tell!
Good luck kid.
That 1st pass was just a little short – the receiver had to slow down for it.
Good luck DK.
He’s a Notre Dame man!
Geez too bad he could not have had one of those comebacks with us. But, good luck DeShone and how was that bomb not a touchdown? Just give it to him.
I just wish he were on a different team. For years now the Browns have been the team QB’s seem to go to die. I sometimes wonder if Brady Quinn had been drafted to a different team would he have had more success as a QB in the NFL. It’s hard to make yourself look good when the rest of the team is so bad.