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2017 NFL Draft: DeShone Kizer’s Arizona Cardinals Visit Leaves Hope

By Noah Strackbein

November 28, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer (14) throws against Stanford Cardinal during the second half at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
November 28, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer (14) throws against Stanford Cardinal during the second half at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Notre Dame quarterback, DeShone Kizer’s recent NFL Draft visit gives fans a reason to believe his future is bright.

Must Read: Top 5 Notre Dame Players in the 2018 NFL Draft

DeShone Kizer had his biggest pre-draft visit of the offseason on April 10 when he visited the Arizona Cardinals. Could he be the successor of Carson Palmer? Notre Dame and Cardinals fans both hope so.

It’s uncanny how perfect Kizer fits in this team. His ridiculous arm strength and love for the deep ball fit no better than in Arizona. Palmer, who likely only has a year or two left in the tank, along with head coach Bruce Ariens, have turned this team into a long ball machine.

Palmer has thrown for over 4,000 yards in each other last two seasons to some of the best deep throw targets in the NFL; Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown, and J.J. Nelson. But at age 37, there can’t be much playing time left for the Pro Bowler. With his retirement in consideration, the Cardinals are looking to add his replacement, and that could be Kizer.

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Kizer’s fit in Arizona is perfect. He’d step into a position with at least a year of learning behind Palmer, with a solid receiving core (considering Fitzgerald is still around), have one of the league’s best running backs behind him, and a defense who’s consistently one of the best in the NFL. Pretty good assets to have as a first-time starting quarterback.

Compared to the dumpster fire of the Cleveland Browns, and the messes of the Chicago Bears and New York Jets, Kizer’s favorite team in the top 15 should be Arizona. Unless he’s thinking of sliding to the Houston Texans or Kansas City Chiefs, he should be hoping the Cardinals are the ones taking a chance on him.

No one knows how put together this team will remain by the time Kizer gets the starting job. Right now, though, they’re a franchise any rookie quarterback would love to be a part of. While he grows by learning from Palmer, he’ll finish the development he missed in his final year at Notre Dame. Then, he’ll move into a role ready for a playoff run. Not bad for a guy who considered a “project.”

The Cardinals give Notre Dame fans hope that the future is bright for Kizer. Honestly, most of us know he isn’t ready to start in the NFL during his rookie year. So, putting him on a team where he gets to finish his development behind a Pro Bowl quarterback is the best-case scenario in his first season.

Then, you add a great team around him when he does get the chance to start. Pretty good odds he is able to adjust quickly to the next level. Much better odds compared to him being drafted by Cleveland or New York.

Next: Top 20 Notre Dame Players of 2017 Season

Arizona would be the perfect fit for Kizer. No pressure to start and a team to fall back on once he gets his chance. That’s a lot of promise for a playing with unlimited potential in the NFL.

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