(Editor's Note: Heading into the upcoming NFL Draft, held May 8-10, DallasCowboys.com will take a closer look at the prospects, including some that could be potential fits with the Cowboys. Today's featured player is Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel).
Name:Johnny Manziel
Position:Quarterback
College: Texas A&M
Height/Weight:6-0 / 207
Age:21
Honors: Became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy after a dazzling 2012 season in College Station. Manziel also won the Davey O'Brien and Manning Awards that season in which he shattered SEC records with 5,116 yards of total offense to become both SEC Player and SEC Freshman of the Year. In 2013, Manziel won the SEC Male Athlete of the Year Award and was a first-team selection in the conference. He was a finalist for the Heisman, Maxwell, Walter Camp and Davey O'Brien awards.
Key stat:Manziel has all kinds of SEC records, including most yards of total offense in a game with 576. He also has the top three spots including a 562-yard effort vs. Alabama. Manziel became the first SEC quarterback to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in one season.
Where He's Projected:Manziel is all over the map. It seems rather clear he won't be going No. 1 to Houston but even that isn't a guarantee. Lately, there have been so-called experts saying the Texas A&M standout won't even go in the first round, which is also pretty unlikely. So somewhere between the top spot and the second round seems safe for Manziel. The top 8-9 spots seems the most realistic at this point.
How He Helps the Cowboys:He probably wouldn't help the Cowboys in 2014 seeing that Tony Romo is the starter and expected to make a full recovery from back surgery. Manziel would obviously be the quarterback of the future. Whether or not that would put pressure on Romo this year would be a big question mark. [embedded_ad]
Scout's Take: The most dynamic player of the four top quarterbacks in this draft. Has the ability to take broken plays and make them into huge ones. Majority of his snaps were taken out of the shot gun. In Pro Day, took all of his snaps from underneath center. Was able to show the ability to take the snap, drop back and deliver the ball. His foot work looked fine and was able to get the ball out when he hit his last step. Looked smooth and relaxed when doing this. Thought he was much better throwing the ball on the move, then standing still. Would not say that he has a big arm when just standing in the pocket but when he uses his body, he can torque it to get more on the pass. Has developed the ability to throw the ball moving to his left or right with accuracy. Has a rare sense and ability to know when to move in the pocket to buy a second chance. Has a rare ability to see the entire field. Is a fearless player and at times, this gets him in trouble but will pull off some incredible plays. When you watch his tape, you see those plays where you say "Oh No…Oh Yes…" In the scouting world, there are those that feel like that he will not be able to get away with his current style of play, but I disagree. His fast pace style and reaction skills put a great deal of pressure on defenses to have to find ways to defend him. If I had to look for an ideal fit for him in this draft would be with the Minnesota Vikings and Mike Zimmer. From his days of working in Dallas, Zimmer knows how to deal with those players that have that "Super-Star" quality about them on and off the field, which surly comes with the selection of Manziel. I like the fit in Minnesota as well because having Adrian Peterson running the ball takes pressure off him which allows him the ability to thrive in the play action game on the outside with Greg Jennings and Cordarrelle Patterson plus tight end, Kyle Rudolph. As mentioned, one of Manziel's best traits is his ability to ball handle but also deliver passes on the move. With the way that the Vikings are currently built, it would totally play to his strengths as a quarterback. In talking with coaches and teammates while I was attending the pro day at Texas A&M, the one common thread was that Johnny Manziel had the ability to bring everyone together in that locker room. He had the respect of all players regardless of race and when you are trying to put a value on leadership, that is one of the most important areas that you can focus on. Like all these quarterbacks in this draft, there is no clear cut direction in where they might end up but whomever ends up with Johnny Manziel has a real chance to hit it big. - Bryan Broaddus
