Johnny Manziel is headed to the Cleveland Browns with the No. 22 overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft. The Browns traded up three spots from the No. 26 spot to nab Manziel, who was once thought to be drafted in the top 10. The Philadelphia Eagles originally held the No. 22 spot.
NFL Draft results 2014: Johnny Manziel joins the Browns at No. 22
Johnny Football is headed to the Browns, where he will be a lightning rod for media attention but could also compete for playing time if he has a hot start in training camp.
Manziel stormed into the college game unlike any player in the history of the sport, winning the Heisman Trophy as a redshirt freshman quarterback for Texas A&M. However, some questions remain over how his game will translate to the NFL.
Perhaps no player outside of Jadeveon Clowney and Teddy Bridgewater was as polarizing as Manziel throughout the pre-draft process. Manziel took criticism for everything from his relatively small stature to his off-field lifestyle. Notorious NFL.com draft scout Nolan Nawrocki noted in February that Manziel “carries a sense of entitlement and prima-donna arrogance seeking out the bright lights of Hollywood.” Despite what Nawrocki thinks, an NFL team still thought that Manziel should be one of the first players taken. It had good reason.
Manziel was rated as the 15th-best overall prospect on the SB Nation top 200 big board, making him the second-highest rated quarterback behind Bridgewater and just above Blake Bortles, who came in at No. 16 on SB Nation’s list. Manziel is arguably one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks to ever play the college game. In 2012, Manziel totaled 3,706 passing yards and 1,410 rushing yards to accompany 47 total touchdowns. This past season, Manziel was arguably better, throwing for 4,114 yards and rushing for 759 yards while amassing 46 touchdowns.
Combine results
Height: 6’0
Weight: 207 pounds
40-yard dash: 4.68 seconds
Vertical jump: 31.5 inches
Broad jump: 113.0 inches
3-cone drill: 6.75 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.03 seconds
Manziel’s showing at the combine confirmed what everybody already knew: he is a special athlete. However, he elected not to throw at the combine, opting instead to show his wares during a star-studded pro day in late March. Manziel completed all but three passes during the session and displayed that he was capable of hitting every type of throw during his scripted workout.
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