Johnny Manziel’s family has had its feel of Texas.
Though it could mean the former Texas A&M Heisman Trophy winner has risen all the way to the top of the 2014 NFL draft board, SI.com is reporting Manziel’s family is hoping the Houston Texans won’t being using the top pick to bring the 21-year signal caller back to the Lone Star State.
While confident Manziel will soon outgrow the “Johnny Football” persona that some NFL execs have used to question his maturity leading up to Thursday night’s draft, the Manziel family nonetheless is also convinced a change of scenery may well do him some good.
According to SI.com, their general thinking is Manziel will find his NFL transition much easier if he’s not surrounded by the same consortium of friends that helped fuel his College Station fast and loose lifestyle.
If the Manziel family gets it wish and the Cleveland Browns get theirs, meaning Manziel will still be on the board will they draft at No. 4, several media outlets are reporting the Browns are heavily leaning toward bringing Manziel to town, where he almost certainly will be expected to instantly compete for the starter’s job with Brian Hoyer and perhaps Vince Young.
The Jaguars, who select one pick ahead of the Browns, are also rumored to be strongly considering Manziel.
If draft night truly comes to represent the end of Manziel’s time in Texas, the memories he made while there will always be legendary. In his Heisman Trophy winning season in 2012, he passed for 3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns while completing 68 percent of his throws and becoming the first player in NCAA history to pass for more than 3,000 yards and rush for at least 1,000 more in the same season.
Manziel’s encore season was even statistically better, as in he threw for 4,114 yards and 37 touchdowns while also rushing for 759 yards and nine more scores.
