Oakland Raiders: Draft Options at Quarterback
Dec 31, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) warms-up prior to facing the Duke Blue Devils in the 2013 Chick-fil-a Bowl at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Johnny Manziel (6′ 0″ and 200 lbs.)- Texas A&M
I wasn’t sold on this guy at first. I admit that I was leaning toward Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater, but a good friend of mine and fan of Just Blog Baby changed my mind. I’d like to thank Fernando Maestas for helping me see Manziel in a different light.
Sure Manziel has had his off the field issues, but if you’re a true Oakland Raider, it’s bound to happen. I’m not saying I want it to continue, because the NFL is a whole heck of a lot more stringent on penalizing off the field incidents, but a little baggage never hurt us Raiders fans. Manziel would be a very exciting player to watch, and he would definitely put fans in the seats in Oakland.
One thing that Manziel is definitely responsible for is putting Texas A&M football back on the map. His play for the Aggies was excellent, and he can definitely ignite a crowd. His numbers weren’t bad either; 68.9% completion rate, 7,280 yards passing, 63 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions. He has a wicked fast release, and his pocket footwork if outstanding. He has what I like to call “Game-Speed.” He may not look like a fast runner, but in the game he can light it up. I watched him run away from defensive backs, and they are considered some of the fastest athletes in the world.
One thing he does really well is throw on the run, and his accuracy doesn’t diminish when he’s outside the pocket. Yet, one of the biggest problems I saw from him was his accuracy when throwing it deep. Some of his passes sailed way over his receivers heads. Another issue is his size. Can he last an entire NFL season? Watching him take some of the hits he took in college definitely prove he’s tough, but this is the NFL not college. Still, when I watch his tape he reminds me of Brett Favre, Doug Flutie, and Drew Brees. Those guys did just fine in the NFL, and I think Johnny “Football” Manziel has a real chance.
He is another player that may be off the board before the Raiders have a chance at him, but we never know until the draft begins. Please enjoy some more highlights of Manziel courtesy of YouTube: