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.