McCarthy: Kizer would've been 1st-round pick in 2018 class

Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy provided DeShone Kizer with a vote of confidence Saturday as the sophomore looks to overcome a shaky 2017 season.

Kizer was selected in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns and was immediately thrust into the starting lineup after a stellar training camp. The former Notre Dame standout struggled, however, completing 53.6 percent of his passes for 11 touchdowns against 22 interceptions during his rookie campaign.

Green Bay then acquired Kizer in a March trade with Cleveland, and McCarthy believes that if Kizer had remained at Notre Dame for another year, he would've received a similar level of hype to the much-ballyhooed quarterback class of 2018.

"In my opinion, if he was in that class this year, he would’ve been part of that group of first four guys, or first five. I always felt there were five, the five quarterbacks, first-round guys," McCarthy said, according to Ryan Wood of USA TODAY Network.

McCarthy believes a change of scenery will allow Kizer to tap into his full potential.

"I think he has exceptional arm talent," McCarthy said. "What we’re asking him to do is, particularly the footwork and just how he fits the scheme and how he operates, is brand-new to him. That always excites me, because when you see that (a) guy has no experience or background but has the ability, to me that’s an opportunity for a lot of growth. So I think he has a bright future."

It's extremely unlikely that Kizer will unseat Aaron Rodgers in 2018, but the Packers believe they may have found their future starter for a fraction of the expected cost.