DeShone Kizer has to wait until late in the second round to hear his name called by the Cleveland Browns at No. 52. While the Notre Dame product was selected behind Mitchell Trubisky, Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson, Kizer has the simplest path to a starting gig.
On Friday night, Browns coach Hue Jackson wouldn't hand Kizer the job -- why would he? -- and noted there will be a competition between the rookie, Cody Kessler, Kevin Hogan and Brock Osweiler (who could be cut sometime soon).
"We're going to give all our guys an opportunity to compete,'' Jackson said, via the The Plain Dealer. "That's what it's all about. It's not about who is the starter, who is this. Let's let these guys get here and learn our offense and spend time with myself and (quarterback coach David) Lee and go out on the field and let's see how it all turns out."
From a talent standpoint, Kizer enters the Browns' QB room as the most physically gifted passer.
"Obviously, he has the measurable, a big, physical quarterback who can make all the throws that anybody needs to make in the National Football League,'' Jackson said. "He's intelligent. So he has the characteristics that we're looking for."
We have no doubt Kizer will play in 2017, even if he doesn't win the starting gig out of training camp.
The Browns are in rebuild mode for the long-haul, understanding no quarterback on their roster will be the panacea to their losing illness. In Kizer, Cleveland landed a quarterback with high upside, but there are many questions about his accuracy and play in crunch time. He's not a polished product.
If Kizer becomes the Browns' Dak Prescott, Derek Carr or Russell Wilson, great. They've finally found their franchise quarterback. If not, his presence shouldn't stop the Browns from swinging on another QB early in 2018, when the crop of passers is expected to be better.
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