Jon Gruden: A Certain Magic To Manziel

[RamBill]

On ESPN’s “First Take,” Jon Gruden agreed with Skip Bayless: Teams that do not draft QB Johnny Manziel will regret it.

ESPN

 

[Rams and Gators]

 

[NJRamsFan]

I prefer the Gruden impersonator

 

[Rambitious1]

More......bovine feces.

 

[-X-]

I don't disagree. That kid didn't get the name Johnny Football for no reason. He's pretty exciting to watch at times, but I think his reckless nature and total disregard for his surroundings is going to make for some pretty bad highlights now and then at this level.

 

[CGI_Ram]

If we didn't have Sam, I think the boom or bust potential of Manziel would be too good to pass at #2.

I don't know what to think of Manziel. He's a mashup of a lot of characteristics. Some great. Some I'm not sure about.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Manziel is magic? Every year we get this kind of hype about someone, it seems. Very few ever are as good as the hype, because in the end football is a team sport. Andrew Luck is the first player in years that was worthy of the praise. Manzeil has many more questions about his potential than most of these magical prospects we hear about.

I think the media just likes to try to make things as exciting and newsworthy as possible, so they trump someone up.

 

[MTRamsFan]

Ah, that time before the draft to "over-hype" another draft prospect. Manziel is not the best draft prospect nor the best QB coming into this year's draft. Just because Gruden spews it we're supposed to buy into it? Not taking the bait here.

 

[Boffo97]

If we didn't have Sam, I think the boom or bust potential of Manziel would be too good to pass at #2.

I don't know what to think of Manziel. He's a mashup of a lot of characteristics. Some great. Some I'm not sure about.

I dunno... I'd rather have a sure thing as a top 10 pick then boom or bust...

It's a big reason why, if the Rams do go the "Tackle as Guard in the short term" route, I'd much rather they pick Matthews than Robinson due to the latter's questionable pass blocking skill.

And Manziel is a much larger possibility to bust (especially if we're talking in terms of complete bust) than Robinson.

If we had no QB, I'd rather have Bortles or Bridgewater.

 

[A55VA6]

Manziel will be a great player, just watch. I would not be upset if for some reason the Rams drafted him.

 

[rdlkgliders]

Dude can play football that I have no doubt. The only knock is related to his desire to win and make plays exceeding his common sense and safety. I have seen very few QB's that throw on the run and rolling out to either side like him. IMO he will be good as long as he stays healthy and wherever he goes it will be hard to keep him on the sideline.

 

[RamsAndEwe]

If by some miracle Manziel is available at #13, I will scream if we don't draft Johnny! I've been trying to explain for a year that Manziel is smart enough to know what he will have do to succeed in the NFL. Manziel knows he's mortal.

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me and I slid feet first every time I ran."

 

[rdlkgliders]

If by some miracle Manziel is available at #13, I will scream if we don't draft Johnny! I've been trying to explain for a year that Manziel is smart enough to know what he will have do to succeed in the NFL. Manziel knows he's mortal.

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me and I slid feet first every time I ran."

Irrespective of his smarts his style brings certain risks, and without his taking those risks to extend and make plays he is far less alluring as a prospect. I do agree that he can taper his risk taking and shape his game to the NFL and still be productive.

 

[jrry32]

Tim Tebow was "magic" too. Manziel is a better thrower than Tebow but people are blinded by his flash that they miss his lack of substance.

 

[RamsAndEwe]

Irrespective of his smarts his style brings certain risks, and without his taking those risks to extend and make plays he is far less alluring as a prospect. I do agree that he can taper his risk taking and shape his game to the NFL and still be productive.

Manziel has been preparing for the transition to the NFL for a year and a half. For example, during the 2013 season Manziel ran the ball 65 fewer times than in his Heisman year. And when he ran, he slid feet first more often and ran out of bounds. Oh sure, he ran into the endzone too, but Manziel is evolving.

In 2013 Johnny Manziel threw 14 more TD's passes than in his Heisman year. His passer rating and YDS/A went up.

Between Johnny's last college game and Johnny's Pro Day, Manziel cleaned up a bunch of his sloppy footwork. That tells me that Manziel is extremely coachable. Johnny scored higher on the Wonderlic than any QB in this draft. Listen to him talk. He doesn't spout off coached cliché's. Johnny shares his mind, and talks fast, because his brain works fast. He's not a parrot.

Manziel has a leader personality. He's a John Wayne, Brett Farve type guy. He forms deep bonds with his teammates. Johnny Manziel will be an All Pro QB in the NFL. Mark my words. Manziel will be drafted before our #13th pick. I've watched every game he's played and I know somebody is going to fall in love with him.

 

[Prime Time]

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me and I slid feet first every time I ran."

You had me at 1 Cor 13.

 

[LesBaker]

Freddie was a rare bird, a kind of genius.

He had "hair".

 

[LesBaker]

Manziel has been preparing for the transition to the NFL for a year and a half. For example, during the 2013 season Manziel ran the ball 65 fewer times than in his Heisman year. And when he ran, he slid feet first more often and ran out of bounds. Oh sure, he ran into the endzone too, but Manziel is evolving.

In 2013 Johnny Manziel threw 14 more TD's passes than in his Heisman year. His passer rating and YDS/A went up.

Between Johnny's last college game and Johnny's Pro Day, Manziel cleaned up a bunch of his sloppy footwork. That tells me that Manziel is extremely coachable. Johnny scored higher on the Wonderlic than any QB in this draft. Listen to him talk. He doesn't spout off coached cliché's. Johnny shares his mind, and talks fast, because his brain works fast. He's not a parrot.

Manziel has a leader personality. He's a John Wayne, Brett Farve type guy. He forms deep bonds with his teammates. Johnny Manziel will be an All Pro QB in the NFL. Mark my words. Manziel will be drafted before our #13th pick. I've watched every game he's played and I know somebody is going to fall in love with him.

I think we should wager some ROD $ on this.

I'm in the mood for that.

 

[jrry32]

Manziel has been preparing for the transition to the NFL for a year and a half. For example, during the 2013 season Manziel ran the ball 65 fewer times than in his Heisman year. And when he ran, he slid feet first more often and ran out of bounds. Oh sure, he ran into the endzone too, but Manziel is evolving.

In 2013 Johnny Manziel threw 14 more TD's passes than in his Heisman year. His passer rating and YDS/A went up.

Between Johnny's last college game and Johnny's Pro Day, Manziel cleaned up a bunch of his sloppy footwork. That tells me that Manziel is extremely coachable. Johnny scored higher on the Wonderlic than any QB in this draft. Listen to him talk. He doesn't spout off coached cliché's. Johnny shares his mind, and talks fast, because his brain works fast. He's not a parrot.

Manziel has a leader personality. He's a John Wayne, Brett Farve type guy. He forms deep bonds with his teammates. Johnny Manziel will be an All Pro QB in the NFL. Mark my words. Manziel will be drafted before our #13th pick. I've watched every game he's played and I know somebody is going to fall in love with him.

Here's the issue, you have to be able to apply that intelligence on the field. And I question if Manziel can.

He's coming from an offense that consisted of quarter and half field reads with a simplistic progression system and route tree. Manziel also was overly reliant on his legs to allow him to decipher the defense and far too often missed WRs running open...even WRs that were clearly his primary read on the play. To make matters worse, he is a guy that showed the propensity to force things and make bad decisions rather than taking what the defense gave him. His anticipation is highly questionable as is his ability to work through his progressions with patience in the pocket and his ability to control the offense from the LOS. On top of that, I question his ability to make full field reads in the pocket.

Manziel also played behind arguably the best OL in college football the past two years which gave him exceptional blocking and a huge pocket to work with. I was unimpressed with his instincts, eye discipline, and movement in the pocket. He's a guy that prefers to run around and bail out of the pocket rather than maneuvering the pocket, keeping his eyes down the field, and finding throwing lanes.

Additionally, Manziel has poor lower body mechanics and lacks symmetry in his upper body when going through his throwing motion.

I'm a very meticulous person. And there's just so many flaws that I see in his game that I can't get behind him.

I won't write him off either. There's no arguing that Manziel is an unique player. There's no arguing his improvisational skills, deep accuracy, ability to throw on the run, and his competitiveness. But that's not enough for me. Too many warning signs there for me. Too risky.

 

[PhxRam]

I think we should wager some ROD $ on this.

I'm in the mood for that.

I need to create something where people can put personal bets into a escrow.