Most of the best quarterbacks in the NFL usually have some kind of chip on their shoulder or ego, or some combination of things that gives them a certain attitude. They need a strong physical skill-set as well, but QB greats, and really many sports greats have a certain confidence in their abilities.
We are a long way from knowing if DeShone Kizer’s physical tools will develop in the NFL, but the confidence is certainly there. The Notre Dame quarterback recently sat down with USA Today to discuss the draft and football, and he made it very clear he thinks he has everything it takes to be a great quarterback — in fact, the “greatest!”
Kizer told USA Today that the only thing that will keep him from being great is himself. I think my favorite line was this one: “Imagine taking (Tom) Brady’s intellect and Brady’s preparation and putting it on a guy with Cam Newton’s body. Why can’t I be the greatest?”
Here’s the full quotation that came from:
“Name a college quarterback who goes into the game-plan meetings on Monday and throws his notes at the coaches,” Kizer said. “No one else game plans the way I do. No one else prepares the way I do. No one else knows football the way I do. No one else is as big as I am. No one else is as powerful a runner as I am. Pat Mahomes might throw the ball 80 yards and I can only throw the ball 72, but I guarantee he can’t throw an out route the way I can.
“No one else can do what I can do. And I’ve truly figured out in this (draft) process, if I can maximize all my potential in every aspect of the game – this is bold – I do have the ability to be the greatest quarterback to ever play. Imagine taking (Tom) Brady’s intellect and Brady’s preparation and putting it on a guy with Cam Newton’s body. Why can’t I be the greatest? The only thing stopping me from it is me. That’s what’s driving me now.”
It reads kinda crazy to mention Brady and Newton, but in the context he is considering it, sure, I get it. He thinks his absolute ceiling is pretty tremendous, and I’m certainly fine with that kind of self-assessment. It is important to note that Kizer did acknowledge the problems he’s had, with accuracy being a big concern. He thinks he hit rock bottom during his time at Notre Dame, and is only going to go up from here.
His draft stock has slipped to the point that some think he goes in the second round. The 49ers have met with him multiple times, and John Lynch has offered praise for the Notre Dame QB. The 49ers hold the No. 2 pick overall, and then the second pick of the second round. If Kizer is there at 34, do the 49ers pull the trigger?