The Book on DeShone Kizer Scouting polarizing Notre Dame QB

Wiki Article

The Book on DeShone Kizer: Scouting polarizing Notre Dame QB Published: Mar 01, 2017 at 05:34 AM NFL.com Analyst It's amazing how quickly some prospects can go from the top of the mountain to the pits of Dorian Finney-Smith Jersey the valley. That's certainly the case with after watching him earn glowing recommendations from scouts following a magnificent performance against Texas in the season opener. He dazzled evaluators with a spectacular six-touchdown effort that showcased his skills as a dual-threat playmaker with great size. Scouts raved about his athleticism and running skills. They were blown away by his exceptional arm talent, too. The fanfare quickly subsided, however, after Kizer struggled over the last half of the season like a battered fighter at the end of a 15-round fight. He looked nothing like the ultra-confident quarterback that teased scouts with his talents in the season opener and appeared on the fast track to the No. 1 pick early in the season. With rumors swirling over his lo s of confidence and questionable resiliency, scouts have seemingly backed away from the Notre Dame star as a potential franchise quarterback. With Kizer attempting to re-write the narrative surrounding his game and potential with a strong series of workouts over the next few weeks, I thought I would take a little time to break down his game and potential as a field general. Here is the book on Kizer. What I'm hearing "I like the kid. I think you have to go back and look at the 2015 tape to fully appreciate him. He can make all of the throws and he's athletic. Plus, he has won some big games during his time there. I know it got a little sideways for him (in 2016), but he can play. I believe he is one of the top three in this cla s." -- AFC college scouting director "Kizer scares me to death. I see the athleticism and arm talent, but I wonder if he can take hard coaching. Things went downhill in a hurry at Notre Dame. I need to find out why." -- AFC vice president of player personnel "He has everything that you want, but you worry about the Notre Dame situation. Why did it fall off the rails for him down the stretch?" -- AFC scout What I'm seeing Kizer has a chance to be the new prototype at the position as a big, athletic pa ser with A-plus arm talent. Measuring 6-foot-4, 230 pounds with nimble feet and deceptive speed, the Notre Dame standout can execute all of the flashy QB runs (zone-read, quarterback draws and powers) that are creeping into the pro game. He's also a polished pocket pa ser who's capable of making every throw in the book. Kizer's ability to thrive in both worlds could make him an intriguing prospect for an imaginative offensive coordinator intent on using the quarterback to challenge the defense in a variety of ways. Kizer is a refined dropback pa ser with outstanding footwork and mechanics. He consistently sets up and delivers from a balanced platform at the top of his drops. When he's playing at a high level, his eyes and feet are working in unison and the ball comes out of his hand like a rocket. While the zip and velocity on Kizer's throws are definitely "wow" worthy, it's the ball placement and accuracy that stands out on tape. He routinely hits his intended receivers in the face mask, which is the ideal location for most throws, particularly on target routes (receiver is stationary or working back to the quarterback) or cro sers between the hashes. On deep pa ses, Kizer drops the ball down the chimney with good touch and placement. He repeatedly drops dimes on post-routes but also shows excellent touch on go-routes and back-shoulder fades along the boundary. Kizer also throws with excellent timing and anticipation. From delivering the deep comeback well before the receiver is coming out of the break to firing seam routes between multiple defenders at intermediate depth, Kizer has already mastered the skill of throwing receivers open, and astute quarterback coaches will appreciate the subtleties in his game as a pocket pa ser. It's hard to teach young quarterbacks to let the ball go early before the receiver reaches his designated spot, but Kizer repeatedly shows this skill on tape and it could help him grow from being a good college quarterback to a great NFL pa ser. From a footwork standpoint, Kizer shows great agility, balance and body control as a pa ser inside and outside of the pocket. Within the tackle-to-tackle box, he makes subtle movements to escape the rush while keeping his eyes down the field. He climbs the pocket to avoid pre sure and uses the natural hitches to refocus his eyes on the next receiver in the progre sion. This is graduate-level quarterback play that extends beyond the "pick-and-stick" throwing mehanics displayed by most spread quarterbacks. On the move, Kizer delivers lasers while working to his right or left on rollouts, sprints and bootlegs. He delivers the ball on time and typically places the ball on target to his intended receiver. With a number of teams incorporating more movement-based throws into their game plans, Kizer's athleticism and movement skills will make him an intriguing option. Against the blitz, Kizer shows courage and determination, standing tall with rushers in close proximity. He doesn't flinch or wilt under the pre sure, which speaks volumes about his grit within the pocket. Considering the beating he took behind a weakened offensive line, it's hard to question his Justin Jackson Jersey toughne s or effectivene s against the blitz. From a critical standpoint, Kizer's disappointing play down the stretch last season will raise concerns about his confidence and competitive toughne s. He appeared to have i sues with Brian Kelly's coaching style and scouts will question whether he can cut the mustard as an NFL starter given the pre sures a sociated with playing the position. On the field, Kizer needs to show better leadership in adverse situations. Sure, he delivered some notable wins on late-game drives during his first season as a starter (2015) but he was surrounded by several NFL players and they made life easier on him as a young field general. In 2016, Kizer failed to guide his squad to the winner's circle consistently and that will lead to some raised eyebrows from scouts. Granted, they will take his supporting cast into account, but quarterbacks are judged on their ability to win games, and Notre Dame's 4-8 mark will leave a stain on Kizer's resume. Overall, Kizer is a "wow" talent with the physical tools to be a high-level NFL starter for a franchise. He can make all of the throws and adds a dimension to an offense with his athleticism/running skills. Considering how the league is gradually accommodating dual-threat quarterbacks, particularly those with polished pa sing skills, Kizer could be the new prototype at the position. That statement might sound crazy based on his dramatic decline at the end of the season, but it's hard to find a 6-foot-4, 230-pound pa ser with his talent and potential. NFL comp: I know the comparison will raise eyebrows based on the former NFL MVP's remarkable talents, but Kizer is a big, athletic pa ser with comparable arm talent and movement skills. When he is playing his game with supreme confidence, he can mirror some of the production that Newton displayed during his MVP campaign. Whether it's the red zone rushes (18 career rushing touchdowns at Notre Dame) or the splashy throws to every part of the field, Kizer has the tools to change the game like the ' star. With the right coach whispering a positive me sage in his ear, Kizer could blo som into the crown jewel of the 2017 cla s. Where he should be picked The 2017 QB cla s Tyrell Terry Jersey is viewed as one of the most polarizing groups in recent history. Teams are having a tough time sorting out the talent at the top, particularly Kizer and his unique game. I believe he's an elite talent worthy of consideration among the first 20 picks, but he will probably come off the board between the bottom of the first round and the middle of the second round on draft weekend. Teams like the , , and would be a nice destination for him based on his game and their respective schemes. If I had to choose a dream matchup for him, I would pick the and Bruce Arians. Although the ' head coach is a hard-nosed teacher, he's also a terrific quarterback developer and he understands how to maximize their skills. Based on his work with in Pittsburgh, I believe he could turn Kizer into an offensive weapon as a flamethrower from the pocket. This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be mi sing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an i sue.
https://cruzzpeq64208.wikissl.com/316283/bills_cb_vontae_davis_retires_at_halftime_vs_chargers
Click here Click here