2014 NFL Mock Draft: Johnny Manziel joins the Cleveland Browns

Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M

When the Browns fired head coach Rob Chudzinski while trying to stress the importance of continuity and then firing former Eagles president, it became glaringly obvious that the Cleveland Browns were once again mismanaged. The Browns of course are known for their poor decisions, so much so that a movie starring Kevin Costner was made ( which I haven't seen and looks terrible but that's beside the point). I believe that the best way to resurrect a team that's world has been submerged in water for so long is to draft a franchise quarterback.

This year's draft class is loaded with talent but doesn't contain a clear number one quarterback like a Luck or Manning, that said I do believe at least one could eventually lead their team to the Super Bowl. The one I believe has the highest potential to do that is Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel, containing a number of key skills necessary to be an elite quarterback. For starters he is the ultimate competitor, defeating a seemingly untouchable Alabama defense in 2012 and then mounting a 21-point comeback against Duke. Then there is his arm strength which some would call a "magic bullet, it is truly impressive. He is has a knack for keeping the play alive with a terrific scrambling ability. Lastly, finishing fourth in the 40 yard for quarterbacks and first for likely first round picks, it is clear his running ability adds an extra dimension to his game.

There are some questions surrounding Johnny Football, which is why he is not the clear cut number one. One of the biggest questions is his size which some worry won’t translate to the NFL. Maziel is listed as 6’0" on NFl.com and 6’1" on ESPN, both heights would make him taller than this year’s Superbowl winner Russell Wilson and around the same height as Drew Brees. This doesn’t prove that his size could hurt him at the pro-level but it does show that smaller quarterbacks can be successful.

Another concern is his accuracy which has caused some scouts to declare "He couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a f**king boat", while that may be an exaggeration his accuracy is not great. He has a tendency to over and under-throw the ball and can force his receivers to make great plays off of poorly thrown balls. Maybe the publicized concern pertaining to Johnny Football, has to do with his off the field exploits. Whether it’s partying with co-eds in a Scooby-Doo costume, being arrested for carrying a fake ID, or getting kicked out of the Manning Passing Academy. His personality is a red flag for some but for the love of the game, I believe he can learn to mature and become a true leader on and off the field.

Johnny Manziel has potential to become the Superman necessary to save the Metropolis that is the Cleveland Browns franchise. Manziel and Josh Gordon can combine to become one of the most formidable quarterback-wide receiver duo in the league; that combined with up and coming tight end Jordan Cameron, build the foundation for a stellar offense. With the hiring of Kyle Shanahan as offensive coordinator he could play a similar role to RG3 in Washington that worked so well his first year. I can imagine a post-apocalyptic world where a mailman delivers old Sports Illustrated magazines with Johnny Manziel holding the Lombardi Trophy on the cover.

2014 BGN Mock Draft Order

1 Houston Texans (Imp) - Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville - [Explanation]
2 St. Louis Rams (starship 007) - Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson - [Explanation]
3 Jacksonville Jaguars (sports00fan00) - Jadeveon Clowney, DE, SC - [Explanation]
4 Cleveland Browns (InHinkieWeTrust) - Johnny Manziel, QB, TAMU - [Explanation]
5 Oakland Raiders (SleepingDuck) -
6 Atlanta Falcons (jimmyrustler) -
7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (AnthroEagle) -
8 Minnesota Vikings (pot) -
9 Buffalo Bills (wow4444) -
10 Detroit Lions (kamjam) -
11 Tennessee Titans (NowWhat?) -
12 New York Giants (Anthony DiBona) -
13 St. Louis Rams (ILL Eagle) -
14 Chicago Bears (JerkyBoy) -
15 Pittsburgh Steelers (KJ Brophy) -
16 Dallas Cowboys (Patrick Wall) -
17 Baltimore Ravens (rohan915) -
18 New York Jets (del.champion) -
19 Miami Dolphins (HD) -
20 Arizona Cardinals (NCeagle) -
21 Green Bay Packers (ablesser88) -
22 Philadelphia Eagles (jhn) -
23 Kansas City Chiefs (PeaceVT) -
24 Cincinnati Bengals (deg0ey) -
25 San Diego Chargers (StoneColeKiller58) -
26 Cleveland Browns (P_Roach17) -
27 New Orleans Saints (bebin) -
28 Carolina Panthers (MikeKafka) -
29 New England Patriots (Amateur_Hour) -
30 San Francisco 49ers (AndyMcNabb) -
31 Denver Broncos (dceagles) -
32 Seattle Seahawks (eagles0132) -