National Football League

5 Teams that should take DeShone Kizer in the 2017 NFL Draft

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

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With DeShone Kizer officially declaring for the 2017 NFL draft, here are five teams that should consider drafting the Notre Dame quarterback.

It was a season to forget for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and now their starting quarterback will be heading to the NFL to pursue a professional career.

Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer announced on Monday that he will declaring for the NFL draft early. The Fighting Irish went just 4-8 this season despite some occasionally impressive play from their starting quarterback.

This year’s NFL draft class is pretty weak at the quarterback position, leaving Kizer with the chance to be the top QB prospect. He’s got nice size, some solid arm talent and can extend plays with his legs, but there are questions about his decision making and ability to limit turnovers.

The chances are high for Kizer to be a first-round pick, so now that we know for sure that the Notre Dame QB is heading for the NFL draft, here are five franchises that should seriously consider drafting him.

Nov 27, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler (17) runs off the field after a play during the fourth quarter against the San Diego Chargers at NRG Stadium. The Chargers won 21-13. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

5. Houston Texans

Is it too early for the Houston Texans to move on from Brock Osweiler? The team gave the former Denver Broncos QB a $72 million contract this offseason, but Osweiler has already thrown 14 interceptions, has just 5.79 yards per pass attempt and an overall passer rating of just 73.4.

Even if the Texans want to give Osweiler another year to prove himself, it might not be a bad idea to draft a guy like Kizer if he slides to the middle of the first round. That way they can put some pressure on Osweiler with the threat of benching him if he doesn’t perform, because we all know that Tom Savage isn’t going get Texans fans excited.

Kizer could actually be a solid fit in Houston’s offense. They have a talented running back in Lamar Miller to take some pressure off of the passing game and have an elite wide receiver in DeAndre Hopkins to give Kizer a safety blanket.

The Notre Dame QB has great touch on the ball as well, which could make a Kizer-Hopkins combination extremely deadly in the red zone.

Houston is probably going to draft a player at a different position, but if they’re already having second thoughts about Osweiler as their franchise QB, Kizer wouldn’t be a bad option.

Dec 11, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New York Jets quarterback Bryce Petty (9) looks on before the snap against the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter at Levi

4. New York Jets

It looks like the New York Jets have officially lost faith in Ryan Fitzpatrick. However, even if Fitzpatrick doesn’t return for the 2017, are the Jets really that confident in starting either Bryce Petty or Christian Hackenberg?

Petty got the starting nod this past Sunday against the 49ers, going 23-of-35 with 257 yards and an interception. While that’s not a terrible stat line, the fact that it came against a struggling San Francisco 49ers defense doesn’t exactly make Jets fans confident in the young quarterback.

Meanwhile, Hackenberg has yet to throw a single pass for the Jets despite the team spending a second-round pick on him. The former Penn State standout received plenty of mixed reviews heading into the draft, and the Jets haven’t exactly been raving about him.

Kizer might not be the Jets’ first choice for a draft pick. However, if he somehow slid to late in the first round or even early in the second, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Jets to scoop up Kizer and groom him to be the starter. His game could mesh very well with receivers like Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, making him a solid fit if the Jets don’t feel confident in their current QB options.

Dec 11, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) throws a pass as Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap (96) closes in during the second quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

3. Cleveland Browns

If the season were to end today, the Cleveland Browns would have two draft picks in the first 10 selections thanks to a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. While it’s unlikely that the Browns would blow what is likely to be the No. 1 overall pick on a QB, there’s a good chance that they’ll be looking at one with their second first-round pick.

Robert Griffin III was able to return to the field this week, but struggled mightily. RGIII went just 12-for-28 with a putrid 3.71 yards per attempt and an interception. Given his injury history and the fact that Josh McCown is 37 years old, the Browns are going to need to find another new quarterback.

No one realistically wants to end up in Cleveland, but Kizer wouldn’t be the worst options for the Browns. Kizer is more than capable of stretching the field deep, and could be a much better fit with targets like Gary Barnidge and Terrelle Pryor.

Could Kizer finally be the answer to the QB crisis in Cleveland? There are no guarantees in the NFL, but drafting Kizer and a defensive prospect with the No. 1 overall pick could be a step in the right direction for a struggling franchise.

Dec 11, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) throws a pass during the first half against Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

2. Arizona Cardinals

At 36 years, the drop off has quickly become apparent for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer. Despite a strong season in 2015, Palmer has posted his worst season with Arizona, throwing 13 interceptions and fumbling nine times while the Cardinals have gone just 5-7-1.

Arizona was probably already considering drafting a quarterback early given Palmer’s age, especially considering the fact that Drew Stanton isn’t exactly a starting-caliber player. However, QB is quickly becoming one of the top needs for this team, especially if Palmer decides to retire after this season.

Kizer might be the best QB prospect in this class to fit in Arizona’s offensive system. Bruce Arians has been known for having a vertical offense with a quarterback who isn’t afraid to throw deep down the field. Kizer has the arm strength and touch to make those kinds of throws, especially playing with an offense that has weapons like Michael Floyd, John Brown, David Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald.

This might be the best fit and situation for Kizer to thrive in, and if he’s still on the board when Arizona is on the clock, they’d be crazy not to take him.

Nov 20, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) runs with the ball against the New York Giants during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

1. Chicago Bears

There are few teams in the NFL that have as big of a need at the quarterback position as the Chicago Bears. Jay Cutler is out for the rest of the season and may have played his last down in Chicago, especially since the Bears would only lose $2 million in dead cap space if they cut him before the start of the 2017 season.

Matt Barkley isn’t going to take the Bears anywhere, but the offense has enough playmakers that the right quarterback could help this team at least compete in the NFC North. Jordan Howard has been impressive as the team’s starting running back, and Alshon Jeffery can be one of the most dominant receivers in the NFL at times

The Bears are going to need a quarterback who can rely on his playmakers, and Kizer will likely be near the top of their draft board when they’re picking early in the first round. There are plenty of other holes on this Bears team, but drafting a quarterback is going to be too big of a priority for them to pass up on one in the first round.

When Cutler was at his best, the Bears were a dangerous team. Chicago will be hoping that Kizer can bring the Bears back to the playoffs sooner rather than later if the team drafts him.