AUSTIN, TX - SEPTEMBER 04: DeShone Kizer #14 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates scoring a 29-yard rushing touchdown during the third quarter against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on September 4, 2016 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
There’s an old football adage that goes, “In college, you’re a god. In the NFL, you’re just a millionaire.” The saying speaks to the feverish popularity of college football and the sense of school pride that exists throughout the country. Sure, the NFL may feature the best of the best in terms of talent, but there’s nothing quite like a heated college rivalry or the pampered treatment star players receive around campus. It goes beyond mere fame.
So how do prospective first-round NFL picks feel about the transition? COED got a chance to speak with Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer at the VIP Style Lounge ahead of the 2017 NFL Draft to find out.
“It’s 100% true,” Kizer said of the saying. “That’s what I’m kind of playing for right now. But obviously the god and big man on campus thing are cool, but at this next level it becomes your job. It’s time to serious up and be the guy that is deserving of the millions you’re going to get.”
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Kizer has positioned himself well to cash in on those millions. The junior signal-caller is a two-year starter who passed for 2,925 yards and 26 touchdowns against nine interceptions and ran for 472 yards and eight scores last year. He’s projected to be the third or fourth quarterback off the board in this year’s draft.
Given his looming ascension among the ranks of celebrities and wealthy 21-year-olds, we asked Kizer who would play him in the movie of his life.
“Will Smith,” he answers without hesitation. “Will Smith is the smoothest, he’s the funniest, he sees everything and I like to think I am Alex Hitchens every once in a while.”
Kizer’s Hitch reference is all the more impressive considering he was nine-years-old when the movie came out. Feel old yet?
Kizer’s life is about to change in major ways, but if he’s able to channel his inner-Alex Hitchens, he’ll be just fine as a millionaire who is no longer a god.
