The Buffalo Bills can’t stop, won’t stop working out quarterback prospects.
Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer is the latest signal-caller in the 2017 draft class whom Bills brass checked out, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today.
#Bills didn't just check out Mitchell Trubisky. Terry Pegula & company also had dinner and worked out DeShone Kizer on Saturday, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 10, 2017
Kizer is 6’4” and 233 pounds with big, 9 7/8” hands. He certainly has a strong arm and comes from somewhat of a “traditional” pro-style offense at Notre Dame.
In his first year as a starter in 2015, he completed 62.9 percent of his passes at 8.6 yards per attempt with 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
This past season, Kizer regressed, completing just 58.7 percent of his throws at 8.1 yards per attempt... but he did toss 26 touchdowns to only nine picks.
He also scored 18 touchdowns on the ground in two seasons with the Fighting Irish, and had a handful of long runs in his collegiate career.
Kizer’s 2015 film is much better than his 2016 film. In fairness though, he lost Will Fuller and C.J. Prosise to the NFL.
Staffer Dan Lavoie ranked Kizer at No. 10 on his Bills Big Board a few weeks ago, writing this about the quarterback:
“Seen glimpses of Winston and Garoppolo watching him play. Good pocket movement, good intelligence, capable of some stellar throws. Struggles when pressured, but seems like the closest thing to a franchise QB in this draft.”
I’m not nearly as high on Kizer, but from arm-strength and size perspectives, he certainly fits the “ideal” mold of a franchise signal-caller.
It seems as though Buffalo will finish the pre-draft process looking at all the “top” quarterbacks in this class.