NFL: Is Johnny Football Ready?

Is Johnny Manziel ready for the NFL? Photo credit TAMU

by Brad Barrett

With Johnny Football declaring for the draft, many questions raise about his game. In college he was the first Freshman to win the Heisman, and was one of the most exciting and talented players to watch. But will he be as good at the next level?

This year, Manziel had a better season than his Heisman winning year. He showed growth in accuracy, power, and leadership. He threw for 9 more TD’s, and 400 more yards. That is progression that scouts like to see. He even kept his composure with all of the off field drama. If you question his intensity and competitiveness, listen to this quote from Alabama’s Nick Saban.

"This guy is one of the greatest competitors in all the years I've coached, 40 years of coaching, that I've had the opportunity to play against," Saban said. "This guy does a fantastic job.”

That is accolade anybody would die for.

Although Manziel’s stat line looks great, there are a few concerns about him.

People are worried about Manziel’s size. 6-1 and 210 lbs. Johnny is taller than Drew Brees and Russel Wilson, both elite NFL QB’s. Considering that, Johnny’s size is not a point of concern to me. Many NFL teams are worried about him off the field. After a wild offseason, Johnny Football toned it down. If he can keep that up, his draft stock will be much better.

After RG3 went down, teams are very concerned with running QB’s. If Johnny can learn to slide, whack may be tough, he can be very dangerous.

Overall Johnny could be a top tier quarterback in the NFL. I project him to be a top 5 pick.(Mock draft coming soon!)