Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer will apply for early eligibility to enter the 2017 NFL Draft.
Kizer announced his intentions on Monday, via Twitter.
Kizer was a two-year starter for the Fighting Irish and experienced two very different seasons in doing so. In 2015, he took over for an injured Malik Zaire in Week 2 and led Notre Dame to a 10-2 season and a berth in the Fiesta Bowl. This year, Notre Dame finished just 4-8, and Kizer struggled at times. At one point, coach Brian Kelly suggested he might lose the starting role. Nevertheless, an NFC executive described him in late October as future top-10 draft choice, and another scout told NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein that Kizer is a better prospect than Clemson star QB Deshaun Watson.
Kizer completed 212 of 361 passes (58.7 percent) this year for 2,925 yards, 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Kizer, a third-year sophomore, is a dual-threat quarterback whose skills have been compared to those of late Tennessee Titans star Steve McNair.
Underclassmen have until a Jan. 16 deadline to apply for early draft eligibility.
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