Prior to this week’s 2014 NFL Draft, Johnny Manziel was expected by most pundits to be picked somewhere in the top ten. Despite concerns about several off-field incidents during his career in Texas A&M, as well as concerns that his amazing success in the college game might not translate to success as a professional, the man many refer to as “Johnny Football” was thought to be capable of being the first or second quarterback off the board. Instead, he went 22nd overall, much lower than originally predicted, but went to a team that has long been in need of a quality signal-caller – the Cleveland Browns.
Indeed, Manziel was thought as a potential eight-overall pick, as Cleveland did have a chance to get some help at quarterback after the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Central Florida QB Blake Bortles third overall. Instead, the Browns went with cornerback Justin Gilbert, trading up with the Minnesota Vikings and getting a quality defensive player who picked seven passes last year for Oklahoma State. Fourteen picks later, Manziel’s name was finally called, and it was the Browns using their second first-round pick on him, possibly getting themselves a quarterback good enough to start as a rookie. Then again, that may or may not be the case, as Manziel will be competing with incumbent Brian Hoyer, a Cleveland native who replaced the disappointing Brandon Weeden as starting QB in 2013, only to suffer a season-ending injury after three starts.
As it seems, Manziel appears to be drawing controversy now that he’s officially a pro football player; walking onstage to shake hands with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Manziel made the “money” gesture by rubbing his fingers together, something that pleased many fans, but irked several others who have long been wary of his penchant for getting into trouble. Aside from these frequent incidents, Manziel has also been criticized for his high-profile lifestyle, which includes a close friendship with Canadian rap superstar Drake, and a reputation as a hard partier off the field.
With more hype surrounding him than the average rookie quarterback, Manziel expressed confidence in being a winner for the Browns, a team that has often been scored for its traditional lack of a good signal-caller. “Obviously, the team really wants to win and they want to win now,” said Manziel, whose lack of height was cited as a potential deal breaker for some teams. “I’ve been a winner everywhere that I’ve been. Whatever the situation may be, I’m going to work extremely hard to put myself in the best position to continue that trend of being a winner.” Speaking about his above mentioned lack of height for the QB position – Manziel stands a shade under six feet tall – the rookie admitted being used to that criticism, and to being “scrutinized and nitpicked” for this perceived weakness. “For me, the one thing I’d like to say is I improved from my first year playing to my second,” he added. “I got better. All I’m trying to do throughout these next few years is continue to get better and hone in on my skills and become a better player. I think if I do that, I can be really good.”