We All Owe Brian Kelly an Apology Over Honest Pre-Draft Critique of DeShone Kizer
By Mark Powell | May 6, 2020, 6:38 PM EDT

Brian Kelly's reputation has done a 180 over the past three seasons, as he's led a Fighting Irish resurgence after some were calling for his head following a disappointing 2016 campaign.
DeShone Kizer, who played a role in that tough 2016 season, entered the 2017 NFL Draft the following Spring. When asked about Kizer's decision, Kelly was honest, saying he thought his QB should've stayed an extra year in South Bend.
Brian Kelly thinks DeShone Kizer needed more time at the toilet factory that is Notre Dame: https://t.co/IlDxmgiunb pic.twitter.com/apXfYVVuBa
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) April 4, 2017
Related Posts
3 Teams That Should Sign Colin Kaepernick Right Now
VIDEO: It Was Only a Matter of Time Before a Saints Fan Burned Drew Brees' Jersey
Cowboys' Latest Move All but Rules Out Surprise Return for Fan Favorite Travis Frederick
Saints Reportedly Had the Ultimate Backup Plan if Drew Brees Had Retired
“Well, [Kizer] still should be in college. The circumstances are such that you have to make business decisions and he felt like it was in his best interest,” Kelly said at the time. “I’m going to support him and his decision. But the reality of it is he needs more football, he needs more time to grow in so many areas. Not just on the field, but off the field.”
Three years following his draft decision, Kizer is now jobless once again. He's still young enough to catch on with a franchise in a backup role, but Kizer's issues with reading NFL defenses aren't going away anytime soon. Frankly, his decision-making could've used some fine-tuning, and despite the flack Kelly caught at the time, looking back he's absolutely right.
Kizer even agreed.
Brian Kelly: DeShone Kizer should have stayed in school.https://t.co/0AXWmlTKUK pic.twitter.com/dCq0ExxD0N
— NFL Draft (@NFLDraft) April 3, 2017
College football coaches don't always want what's best for their players, and Kelly was used as the poster boy for a flawed system. Instead, he was simply trying to put his player in the best position to the succeed -- and it fell upon deaf ears.