A new rule has allowed the Chicago Bears a close look at former Notre Dame QB DeShone Kizer that the club otherwise wouldn't have had.
Kizer worked out Thursday at Halas Hall at the Bears' workout designated for local draft prospects, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Each NFL club can conduct a workout for draft prospects who are from or attended college in its city, although a new provision has allowed NFL clubs to expand the definition of "local." Now, teams can designate three colleges outside their immediate area to qualify for the workout, and the Bears chose Notre Dame, Illinois and Northern Illinois, per the report.
That allowed Kizer to add the Bears to a growing list of clubs for whom he's worked out that includes the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Chargers.
Kizer is one of the most promising quarterback prospects in the upcoming draft (April 27-29 in Philadelphia), although his inexperience as an early draft entry with two seasons of starting experience in college is among the scouting concerns about him. Clemson's Deshaun Watson, North Carolina's Mitchell Trubisky, Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes and Cal's Davis Webb are the primary quarterbacks with whom Kizer is contending for draft position. Beyond Kizer's inexperience, at least one AFC head coach sees potential attitude issues with him as well, saying Kizer has "diva qualities".
Kizer's Thursday workout does not count against the Bears' allotment of 30 pre-draft visits with draft prospects.
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