It may be the NFL offseason, but there is still plenty of buzz around arguably the most popular sport in America.
The NFL Scouting Combine finished recently, and in May, the 2014 NFL Draft will be here. Last year’s draft was thin in the quarterback department, with only one signal caller taken in the first round. The Buffalo Bills selected Florida State’s E.J. Manuel with the 16th pick.
2014 is the opposite. ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay both have three quarterbacks being drafted in the top-8 picks. The question is, with so many good quarterbacks in the draft, which quarterback would you pick first?
The Southeastern Conference had several quarterbacks enter the draft this year. Former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel and two-time national champion AJ McCarron are projected to go first from the SEC. Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger are also expected to be drafted. According to ESPN, all four are top-10 players at the position.
The SEC doesn’t feature the only good quarterbacks, though. No. 1 and No. 2 on that list are Teddy Bridgewater of Louisville and Blake Bortles of UCF. For NFL executives, the choice between these men will be difficult.
The Houston Texans have a big choice to make with the No. 1 pick in the draft. They are in need of several positions, with quarterback being one of them. Most think they should draft Johnny Manziel. The former Heisman winner provides a lot of excitement. He is also a hometown hero from Texas A&M and would carry many fans with him to Reliant Stadium. Is he the best option, though? Manziel is only 5 feet 11 inches tall and wasn’t as fast as many people thought, running a 4.68 40-yard dash at the combine. Some, however, say you can’t argue with results, and Johnny Manziel put up some insane college numbers.
Still, most NFL experts believe Bridgewater and Bortles are more NFL-ready than Manziel. Both quarterbacks have special arms and are great pocket passers. They are a safe pick to take early. The thing about Manziel is the unknown. His play style is unlike most quarterbacks. He made some miraculous plays with his feet that most people have never seen before, but his arm strength and size are not considered all that great.
The Texans have a dilemma. They have a plethora of quarterbacks to choose from, or one of the best defensive end prospects to enter the draft in a long time in Jadeveon Clowney. But if I were them, I would pick Manziel. Sure, he may be more of a risk, but the upside is endless. If you look at the last few quarterbacks similar to him that were taken in the draft, several have succeeded.
One player who seems very similar is Seattle’s Russell Wilson. Wilson, who just won the Super Bowl in his second year in the league, was also criticized for his height. Wilson, who is 5 feet 11 inches tall, was thought to be too short to ever start in the NFL. Yes, he played well in college, but his arm strength wasn’t like that of Ryan Tannehill and Brandon Weeden — Both were selected ahead of him, and neither of them have had a winning record.
So really, does physicality mean everything? Like Wilson, Manziel also brings a winning attitude. The Seahawks seemed to carry that attitude throughout the season and into the Super Bowl.
It may be a risk, but I think Manziel is the right choice for the Texans with the No. 1 pick.
