Johnny Manziel NFL Future Starts Now, With a Chance to Make Teams Regret Passing On Him
ByJohnny Manziel is going to get an opportunity to make approximately five teams regret not taking him.
Many NFL draft experts thought Manziel was a top-five selection, but he fell to the 22nd pick, a selection the Cleveland Browns traded up from 26th to make. The Houston Texans, Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans were all reportedly considering taking Manziel and they are all on the Browns' schedule this season.
He told ESPN ahead of the draft he did not know where he was going, but whichever teams did not take him would regret it.
"I believe they will, personally," he said Wednesday. "I know in my heart how good I want to be and how committed I am to this game."
If he wins the starting quarterback job against Brian Hoyer, Manziel's first opportunity comes week five on the road against the Titans. Next, the Jaguars on the road in week 7 followed immediately by two straight home games against the Raiders and Bucs. His last opportunity, and possibly the most meaningful, will be week 11 when the Texans come to visit.
The Texans took defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, and no one can fault them, but Manziel wanted to play his pro career in Texas and he wanted to be the first pick overall. Manziel's improvisational skills will be put to the test with Clowney and JJ Watt rushing him but the Browns may be quietly putting together an exceptional draft class.
Manziel, a projected a top-five pick, could potentially be considered a steal at 22nd since his NFL potential is mostly polarizing among evaluators. With the eighth pick overall, the Browns took cornerback Justin Gilbert, who will line up opposite of pro bowl corner Joe Haden.
The Browns are now picking third overall in Friday's second round and could target an offensive lineman or a skill position player.
CLICK HERE to watch Manziel and Gilbert touch down in Clevland.
Morgan Moses, the offensive tackle from Virginia may fall to the third pick, but Xavier Su'a-Filo, the offensive guard from UCLA, is more likely.
They could bolster a young offense by taking wide receiver Marquise Lee, widely considered a first round talent from USC, since he fell through all 32 picks Thursday. They could also take Carlos Hyde, the promising running back from Ohio State, considered a lock for the mid-second round.
The Browns already have bits and pieces of a potential playoff team and the rest of their draft could round out their roster. Cleveland is ready, but it all depends on how quickly Manziel adapts to the NFL.