Notre Dame Football: Connecting the Tony Romo Retirement and DeShone Kizer Draft

Former Notre Dame football star, DeShone Kizer, has caught the attention of many NFL teams, but the recent retirement of a future Hall of Famer could boost his draft stock.

NFL Draft: DeShone Kizer's Best Case Scenario

After 15 seasons in the NFL, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Tony Romo, has decided to call it a career and start a new path in broadcasting. The four-time Pro Bowler was the hottest play calling commodity this free agency and was considered a valuable target to many teams around the league.

Now, teams like the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans are left with one last option to add a playmaker under center; the 2017 NFL Draft. With three quarterbacks considered to be first round picks, these teams will now look for ways to get their hands on who they believe is the right fit for their team.

For DeShone Kizer, he’ll be taking full advantage of Romo’s retirement. With one less play caller available, his draft stock now increases and he could be the favorite for two late first-round teams. If Mitch Trubisky and Deshawn Watson leave the board early, teams like the Denver Broncos or Houston Texans may be looking to move up to acquire their future QB.

At pick No. 25, the Texans are the favorite in the DeShone Kizer race. Denver may have a higher draft pick at No. 20, but general manager, John Elway, has shown signs that he Trevor Simeon could be the future for the Broncos. If that’s true, Houston will be licking their chops when Kizer comes their way.

This now becomes a race to see who will get to Kizer first. Houston isn’t going to take a chance and end up a playoff team without a quarterback once again. Patrick Mahomes is a valuable pick, but not someone you can trust under center in his rookie year. Kizer may be in the same boat, but his physical ability makes him a better option than Mahomes in the opening round.

With seven picks in the 2017 NFL Draft, two of which are in the fourth-round, Houston may be willing to give up a few to move up for Kizer. They won’t need to go into the top 10, but somewhere before the Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos would be their target landing spot.

This almost solidifies that Kizer is going to be a first-round pick. The only thing keeping the Texans away from a quarterback in the first round was the possibility of receiving Romo. With that out the window, they’re left with one option, and if they like Kizer as much as people think, they’re going to go get him.

Next: 5 Best Options For DeShone Kizer On Draft Night

Kizer is now one of the hottest commodities in this year’s draft. Before, there were possibilities that he could fall past the first round. Now, it’s pretty sure he’s not going past No. 25. In fact, he likely won’t he make it that far.