With the approach of the 2014 NFL draft May 8-10, the question looms, who will draft Johnny Football?
In my opinion, I think that he will be a bust, not a bust in the Hall of Fame, but a draft bust.
I think that he is too much of a gamble to take in the 1st or 2nd round. Yes, he could make general managers look stupid for not drafting him, but he could make them look even worse if he turned out like JaMarcus Russell or Ryan Leaf.
He needs to be drafted into the right situation, and a bad team with an early 1st round pick, or an offense lacking in the talent department should steer clear of him.
He would surely end up as one of the biggest busts of all time if a team like Oakland or Cleveland were to draft him. Neither team has a very good record drafting quarterbacks and taking Manziel would not be a smart pick.
Now, if a team with a veteran quarterback were to draft him, he might not end up a bust. I think he could benefit learning from somebody like Peyton Manning or Drew Brees.
He would also need an offensive coordinator who is capable of building an offense around Johnny’s skill set and using that to the team’s advantage and surrounding him with talented players.
However, the one thing a veteran quarterback or good coaches can not fix is his size; according to the NFL scouting combine, he is 5 foot 11 3/4. I know Russell Wilson is also under 6 feet tall and has been very successful so far in the NFL winning the Super Bowl in just his 2nd season.
If you look at the recent history of quarterbacks taken in the NFL draft, usually taller means more successful. But just because a quarterback is 6′ 5″ doesn’t mean he won’t end up as a bust either.
All I can say is tune into the draft on NFL Network in May and see where Johnny Football’s new home will be.