Browns' Jackson: Kizer has been scarred mentally amid winless season

DeShone Kizer had the unenviable task of trying to lead the Cleveland Browns out of the AFC North basement, and failing to do so has taken a toll on him if his teammates are to be believed.

Kizer - selected in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame - won the starting job out of training camp, was benched briefly, and eventually regained the role.

The Browns are 0-14 and many believe his rookie season in Cleveland has affected him negatively on a mental level.

"He's a young kid and he's still learning and he has all the ability," Browns running back Duke Johnson said via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com "I mean, his confidence is probably shot, but that’s where his teammates and his family, his friends come in. They keep him up."

Browns head coach Hue Jackson tried to paint a more optimistic picture but admitted that Kizer has been adversely affected by the 2017 season.

"Any quarterback who's been under the duress that he has, that's a struggle, but DeShone is still a very confident person and a confident player,'' Jackson said. "That being said, are there some scars there? You better know there are. I don't think any quarterback that goes through what he's been through that doesn't have them, but there have been many other players before him that have been in some similar situations and they find a way to come back out of them and have great careers.''

The Browns will likely secure the first overall pick in next year's draft where they could finally land their elusive franchise quarterback. In the interim, Kizer will have to figure out what went wrong as the Browns slump toward the finish line.