Regardless of his level of success in 2014, Johnny Manziel promises to be a focal point during the upcoming NFL season.
His entertainment value might not be up for debate, but whether or not he’ll last in the NFL as a starting quarterback is. While Manziel’s college track record doesn’t guarantee success at the next level, he possesses all the tools to transition into an NFL-style offense with the Cleveland Browns.
In a text message to the Browns’ quarterback coach, Manziel urged the Browns to draft him so that they could “wreck this league.” Manziel has a flair for the dramatic, but don’t be surprised if he ends up taking the NFL by storm.
When looking at his tape, it’s clear why “wrecking this league” is a definite possibility.
Improvisation
Let’s start with the most obvious of Manziel’s skills: he’s the master of escaping from seemingly impossible situations and turning them into positive plays. When watching live, it’s chaotic and unpredictable. However, when going back and watching the ad-lib plays over again, it’s important to note that Manziel isn’t always seeking out havoc, it’s just the end of a progression for him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS9HvIlIi_I
In the play above, taken from Texas A&M’s thrilling come-from-behind win against Duke in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, the most noteworthy part occurs when Manziel leaps into the air, bounces off a lineman, and then proceeds to throw a touchdown pass on the run. The aspect that is lost though, is the fact that Manziel went through all his reads on the play prior to entering scramble mode.
Upon taking the shotgun snap, Manziel’s eyes immediately scans the left side of the field. Not seeing anyone open except a wide receiver in the flat, Manziel adverts his attention to the right side of the field. It’s not until he realizes that no one is open that he begins his crazy dash within the pocket. After his hurdle, he breaks contain to the outside, the defensive back in the flat is forced to step towards him, and then Manziel lofts an easy touchdown to his receiver.
Some have noted that Manziel won’t be able to rely on scrambling in the NFL. It’s true — if Manziel wants to have a long career in the NFL, he can’t dance around on every play. The key to his longevity will be if Manziel is willing to go through his reads prior to entering Johnny Football mode, something that he does in the play above. Because when the play breaks down, there’s no one better than him at turning chaos into success. If he can combine his scrambling ability with the qualities of a prototypical pocket-passer, Manziel will be lethal in the NFL.
It’s a balance that has paid considerable dividends for quarterbacks like Russell Wilson and Ben Roethlisberger. It should pay off for the Browns and Manziel too.
Speed
Part of what makes Manziel so effective at eluding defenders is his speed. Manziel can do more than just escape pressure — he can break off the home run too. Against Louisiana Tech in 2012, Manziel showed off his wheels.
Though the atrocious run defense by LA Tech deserves its own spotlight, the telling part of the run is Manziel’s breakaway speed. After he hits the hole, no one comes close to catching him. A simple misdirection, a wide angle taken by No. 27, and poor run fits by the linebackers allow Manziel to break loose. And without two safeties deep on the play, Manziel makes them pay.
The play invoked memories of Colin Kaepernick and his 56-yard run against the Packers in the playoffs a couple years back. Like Manziel’s run, Kaepernick relies on misdirection — in the form of a read-option — at the onset of the play, and some poor run fits by the Green Bay defense. And once passing the line of scrimmage, he’s gone.
If Manziel can rip off runs like Kaepernick has in his short career and can also be a more consistent passer, his ceiling becomes that much higher.
Arm Strength
I’m a sucker for arm strength and I tend to believe that without a strong arm, a quarterback is going to have a tough time surviving in the league. Unless you’re Peyton Manning, a subpar arm is going to have trouble throwing the deep ball against NFL defensive backs who, quite frankly, are much more athletic than college DBs.
Manziel’s arm strength isn’t up for debate — he has a cannon for an arm. Take a look at the play below.
Manziel is standing five yards deep in his own end zone. He’s flat-footed and doesn’t drive off his back foot when releasing the football. Still, the ball travels all the way to the 40-yard line and hits his receiver in stride. That’s an NFL-caliber throw.
Touch
But quarterbacks need more than just a strong arm to succeed in the league. When sifting through Manziel’s highlights, examples of his touch on the ball were plentiful. The clip below, taken from the Duke game, shows off Manziel’s accuracy and touch.
His receiver on the play is isolated against a corner and gains a step on his defender. Identifying this, Manziel floats the ball over the defender and into the waiting arms of his teammate. It’s a pass that a quarterback can’t miss in the NFL — especially when a receiver gets that open — and Manziel executes it flawlessly.
With Josh Gordon facing a season-long suspension, Manziel is most likely going to be without the Browns’ top receiving option. And it’s more than likely Manziel will need time to transition to the speed and intricacies of the NFL game. But if Manziel can become more consistent with his mechanics and if can continue to grow as a pocket-passer, he has a chance to be something special.
[genericon icon=twitter]Follow Sean Wagner-McGough on Twitter @seanjwagner
