Quarterbacks hoping to answer questions at combine workouts

INDIANAPOLIS - Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer has spent months getting in shape for the NFL’s annual scouting combine.

Between the workouts, he’s been finetuning the little details. On Saturday, Kizer was among those showing the scouts what he’s learned in the film room, what he’s fixed on the field and explain why he should be the first quarterback selected in this year’s draft.

“I was able in that first couple of weeks to go back and watch every game a couple of times, and we’re still watching those games as much as we can to clean up some of the issues that I had to make, those plays that are going to put us in winning positions,” Kizer said Friday in Indianapolis. “I just didn’t make enough plays.”

Kizer finds himself in similar company — all the quarterbacks in town for the combine appear to have something to prove. None of them are currently in the discussion to go No. 1 overall, and it’s unclear whether any will even go in the top 10.

After Kizer led the injury-plagued Irish into playoff contention in 2015, his first season as the starter, Notre Dame went 4-8 in his second season. With that drop off, the prototypically sized, strong-armed Kizer is being viewed as a flawed player with significant questions.

Meanwhile, North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky started only 13 games at North Carolina before giving up his final season of college eligibility to enter the draft, so experience is an uncertainty there. Clemson’s Deshaun Watson and Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes II need to convince scouts they won’t be the next big busts out of spread offenses. And Baylor’s Seth Russell must prove he’ll be healthy after sustaining injuries. Russell started nine games last season before dislocating his left ankle against Oklahoma.

“It’s about 80 percent right now,” he said. “I’m confident with it. I’ll throw (Saturday). It probably won’t look too pretty, but who plays at 100 percent.”

There are more subtle questions, too, like how to evaluate college players with unprecedented statistics, or how to assess immeasurable qualities like composure and leadership.

“I think at the quarterback position, there’s a lot of intangible things that go along with it,” Chicago Bears coach John Fox said.

“It’s not just the strongest arm or the tallest guy or the quickest guy. There’s so much that goes into it. And then it does take a minute to develop. Basically, he has to control everything, especially in the NFL.”

Finding the right guy on draft day has proven difficult — even when choosing between seemingly can’t-miss prospects.

In 2012, Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III were the clear favorites to go first and second overall in the draft. After they did, both led their teams to the playoffs as rookies, but only Luck has returned to the postseason since.