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2017 NFL Draft: Deshone Kizer Widens Lead In QB Race

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Oct 1, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer (14) throws in the second quarter against the Syracuse Orange at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

The 2017 NFL draft could have a fairly strong quarterback class, but who is the best of the bunch? Another week of college football is making that clearer.

Sometimes being the best in a class isn’t just about talent but also timing. When are you playing your best football? In 1983 John Elway was the #1 pick overall because he led the nation in passing. His counterpart Dan Marino struggled that year, but was dominant the year before. Being the top draft choice means being talented but also placating those without long-term memories. That is what Deshone Kizer is doing.

Deshone Kizer vs. Syracuse

Week after week the draft experts have said the first quarterback off the board will likely be Kizer. His mix physical skills and size are rare for quarterbacks. Combined with his advanced passing prowess on top of it, no wonder the hype is building. With games like the one he had against Syracuse, fans are beginning to understand what these guys have been talking about. For yet another week an opposing defense just didn’t have answers for him.

Kizer finished with 471 yards, three touchdowns and an interception through the air. He also added a touchdown on the ground. His first two passes of the game with for scores to receiver Equanimeous St. Brown. Notre Dame scored 50 points. Perhaps if they were winning their games over the past couple weeks he’d been getting even more recognition. As it stands Kizer is climbing his way up the ladder with sheer statistical excellence.

Oct 1, 2016; Stillwater, OK, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) looks to pass against the Texas Longhorns during the first half at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports

Mason Rudolph vs. Texas

Texas is becoming the team that every top quarterback wants to face. Kizer announced himself to the world with his performance against them on opening night. Now it’s the turn of Oklahoma State standout Mason Rudolph. The big 6’5″ quarterback was on point all game long. He completed 19 of his 28 passes for 392 yards and three touchdowns. He added another touchdown on the ground, proving he can move pretty well despite his size.

Rudolph is considered a 2nd round prospect at this point, so in order for him to crack the top 32 he needs to have standout games like this. His biggest tests will be later in the season though when the Cowboys play back-to-back weeks against TCU and Oklahoma. Rudolph is sitting on a fence. People aren’t sure which way he’s going to tip. He’s got the ability, but is he eating up cupcake teams or taking that critical next step?

Oct 1, 2016; Clemson, SC, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) looks to pass the ball during the third quarter against the Louisville Cardinals at Clemson Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports

Deshaun Watson vs. Louisville

It’s been a rocky year for the Clemson star quarterback but he continues to find ways to get it done. He did so again in a huge primetime matchup against Louisville. When he needed to make the plays to win, he did. That is what top QBs must do in order to play in the NFL someday. The issue isn’t whether Watson is smart or a great athlete. Those are long since proven. It’s whether he can prove he’s more than just a talented player who makes college defenses look foolish.

It was a mixed bag for him against the Cardinals. He threw for over 300 yards and five touchdowns on the night along with 91 yards rushing. That is excellent production. However, he did also throw three interceptions that almost cost them the game. Several passes were batted at the line of scrimmage, a problem that was sure to come up with his shorter frame. These are the pros and cons that pro teams will have to weigh when his name comes up on draft day.

Oct 1, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Brad Kaaya (15) looks to pass during the first quarter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

Brad Kaaya vs. Georgia Tech

Teams have been wanting to see Brad Kaaya show greater consistency and explosiveness within the passing game this season. They know he’s smart and can run an efficient offense from inside the pocket. What they want to know is can he elevate the players around him to attack opposing defenses. That will go a long way towards determining whether or not he’s going to be a top 10 pick or a borderline 1st round pick.

His game against Georgia Tech won’t do much for him, good or bad. It was a rather bland day for him. He finished 13-of-19 for 241 yards and a touchdown. An efficient performance in another easy win for the Hurricanes. The fact is Kaaya really hasn’t been tested yet. Most of his opponents haven’t had the manpower to make it tough for his team, let alone him. That should change come next week when the anticipated rivalry matchup with Florida State come down.

Oct 1, 2016; Ames, IA, USA; Baylor Bears quarterback Seth Russell (17) scores a touchdown between Iowa State Cyclones defensive end Jhaustin Thomas (8) and Iowa State Cyclones defensive back Nigel Tribune (34) at Jack Trice Stadium. The Bears beat the Cyclones 45-42. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

C.J. Beathard vs. Iowa

Throwing a game-sealing interception against a winless team is a surefire way to lose credibility in draft circles. That is exactly what C.J. Beathard did against Northwester. In fairness he was under pressure all day (6 sacks), had receivers drop key passes and also couldn’t get open enough. Even so he turned the ball over too much and couldn’t deliver in crunch time.

Seth Russell vs. Iowa State

What a warrior effort from Seth Russell. People were worried how his body would respond to hits after his scary injury in 2015. Safe to say he’s okay. Nevertheless he took some nasty shots against Iowa State and couldn’t get anything going in the passing game. It looked like Baylor was dead in the water, but he made things happen on the ground (88 yards rushing, 2 TDs) to secure a huge 45-42 comeback win. The Bears remain undefeated.

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Chad Kelly vs. Memphis

The best way to put it for Kelly is it was more of the same. There is no doubting that the Ole Miss quarterback has one of the best arms in college football. When he’s allowed to cut it loose, he can deliver a strike at any level of the field. The problem has always been his decision-making. Though he finished with over 300 yards and Rebels dominated Memphis, he had one TD pass and one interception on the night. Some good, some bad.

Luke Falk vs. Oregon

Putting up 50 points is always a good thing for a young quarterback, even in an offense that is designed to score a lot. To see Luke Falk lead Washington State in a big win over Oregon though was a huge boost for him. He was efficient all night long, completing 75% of his passes for 371 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. A few more games like that and people won’t be able to ignore him anymore.

Cooper Rush vs. Western Michigan

Often the best way to measure where a quarterback is depends on how he plays against good competition. Potential sleeper Cooper Rush had his chance against undefeated Western Michigan. Suffice to say it didn’t go as planned. Rush was batted most of the game for eight sacks. He completed just over 58% of his passes for 178 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Inhospitable to say the least.

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