The Cleveland Browns are a team that is in a heavy rebuilding phase. Right now, they have done a great job of drafting a very skilled group of rookies, they have one of the best cornerback pairings in the NFL, and if Josh Gordon is playing, he arguably the best receiver in the game. Though all of these are bright sports for the Cleveland Browns, all the hype from fans and NFL analysts is surrounding newly drafted QB Johnny “Football” Manziel. In early draft predictions, Manziel was projected to go first overall; however, after some updated scouting report and some draft day surprises, he fell all the way to 22nd.
The opinions are currently mixed on Manziel. On one hand, some scouts believe that he is an amazing quarterback who can succeed inside and outside of the pocket, making him very versatile. They believe that, if paired with a good receiver, he can shred defenses. On the other hand, some believe that Manziel is one of the most overrated players to come out of the draft. They believe that he has awful pocket presence, and his scrambling-style of play will only result in him getting badly injured. Those who believe this have seen the fate of other “mobile quarterbacks”. QBs, such as RGIII, who cannot play in the pocket and seem to get injured on a much more severe and consistent basis. Going forward, many teams, including the Browns, are not sure where Manziel is going to fit in; however, if he is coached well and is given time to develop, he has a lot of potential.
Manziel has a strong arm, but he lacks accuracy. If he is able to work with his new quarterbacks coach, as well as current Browns QB Brian Hoyer, he has the chance to develop into a great pocket passer. Hoyer studied under Tom Brady for several years, and if anyone can teach Manziel how to throw a football properly while in the pocket, it is a student of Brady’s. If Manziel is able to develop into an effective passer, he could do amazing things in the league. He could bring a Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson style of playing to the Browns. Wilson, who is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, plays a very unique style of football. Because he possesses such an accurate arm, pass defenders are scared to leave players open; however, Wilson also possesses the speed and ability to destroy defenses with his legs. Manziel has the same potential. Being only 22 years old, Manziel has a few years before he needs to start for the Browns. During his years on the bench, you can expect Manziel to train and study heavily under Hoyer, and if he is able to develop his pass accuracy, he could potentially be one of the most versatile passers in the league by 2016.
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Ron Leyba
Ron is the Lead Editor of FantasyFootballOverdose.com and FantasyBasketballMoneyLeagues.com.
