“Obviously going out and performing in preseason games is one thing, but to perform in games is another,” Kizer said. “Until I’m out there, everyone’s gonna have a right to have an opinion. If that’s their opinion, we’ll see Week One.”
Kizer’s college coach Brian Kelly infamously said he wasn’t ready for the NFL. Kizer didn’t refute the claim at the time.
"It's honestly the truth," Kizer said. "I have two more years available [of college eligibility]. I'm only 21 years of age. There is a lot of growth for me. There's a lot of growth for everyone in this draft. There's a lot of guys out there who had to make big adjustments as they move into the NFL, and I know it. That's why I'm not the No. 1 quarterback guaranteed walking into this draft as we speak."
Maybe Kelly was right, and Kizer’s just made quick strides. Maybe the Browns’ quarterback situation is so poor he had little competition. Maybe Hue Jackson, a quarterback guru, worked wonders.
Either way, Kizer is Cleveland’s starter. He’ll be judged as such moving forward.
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