There have been lots of rumors floating around since the Browns traded up to select Johnny Manziel with the 22nd pick in this year’s NFL Draft, but the curtain has finally been lifted by a coach within the organization.
Browns quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains recently joined an ESPN Arkansas radio station to talk about how things went down on draft night, and the details might surprise you a little bit.
Yes, it was owner Jimmy Haslam who gave the order to “pull the trigger” on a trade with Philadelphia and go after Manziel, but it wasn’t decided 10 seconds before their selection or because of a homeless man told them to.
It was, in large part, because Manziel asked them to.
Loggains: Manziel texted me and said “I wish you guys would come get me.” I forwarded that to the owner & HC & they said let’s go get him.
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) May 16, 2014
In an interview with host Bo Mattingly on ESPN Arkansas, Loggains said that he exchanged texts with Manziel as the Browns scurried to trade up during the middle of the first round.
Loggains said the Browns knew they had to get in front of Kansas City at No. 23 to get Manziel.
“He shoots me a text and says, ‘I wish you guys would come and get me. Hurry up and draft me because I want to be there. I want to wreck this league together,’” Loggains said.
“When I got that text, I forwarded it to the owner and to the head coach. I’m like, ‘This guy wants to be here. He wants to be part of it.’ Soon as that happened, Mr. Haslam said, ‘Alright, pull the trigger, we’re trading up to go get this guy.’”
If true, it’s quite interesting that Manziel went out of his way to try and become a member of the Cleveland Browns, something you’d think most guys would try to avoid. I guess Cleveland fans should feel pretty good knowing that’s exactly where their quarterback wants to be.
And the admiration is clearly mutual between the parties. Loggains said that Manziel was always the No. 1 QB on the Browns draft board, even above Blake Bortles, who was selected third overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
