With this year’s National Football League draft just under a month away, experts and fans alike research this year’s prospects to make one final shot at predicting where their favorite players will land in the first round of the draft.
The Houston Texans have four weeks left to solidify the first pick in this year’s draft, and experts are torn as to whom or even which position the Texans should draft.
After finishing 2-14 in 2013, the Texans have multiple needs at multiple positions, including quarterback. Houston sent seven-year starter Matt Schaub to Oakland last season and signed veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick to a two-year contract last month.
Houston has options with the No. 1 pick, but with pre-draft visits with former UCF quarterback Blake Bortles and former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel in the next two weeks, the Texans need a quarterback to reestablish themselves. And that quarterback is Manziel.
While Bortles and former Louisville standout Teddy Bridgewater are high on experts’ lists due to ‘intangibles,’ Manziel had one of the most impressive pro-days. He dispelled negative accounts from scout in his mechanics and how he threw the football.
Even though there is no defense in pro-day workouts, Manziel still impressed by the way he moved in the pocket, stayed on balance and delivered the football — consistent to the Johnny Football seen over the past two years.
On the field, Manziel has simply played in the toughest conference in college football. Now, while the defenses of the SEC will provide a bigger challenge, Manziel got a taste of what defenses he will be facing at the NFL level by facing the best defenses in college week in and week out.
Additionally, Manziel does things on the field that have never been done athletically. Manziel has dazzled and amazed with his innovation and improvisation on the football field.
Critics of Manziel argue he may not be the safest pick of the draft, but previous drafts prove the safest pick was not always the best pick.
In 2011 Cam Newton was taken No. 1 by the Carolina Panthers. Other quarterbacks Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder were all selected before the San Francisco 49ers selected standout Collin Kaepernick. Finally, the Texans will utilize Fitzpatrick as a mentor for their incoming quarterback. While Fitzpatrick does not light up the stat sheet like a Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, Fitzpatrick is one of the smartest quarterbacks in the league and will pass on a plethora of experience to the rookie.
With the proven college record, the promise of success and an experienced mentor, Manziel should not only be the No. 1 quarterback in the draft, but the No. 1 pick overall.
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Johnny Football excites
John Galatas
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April 11, 2014
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