2014 NFL Draft: Houston Texans Must Select Johnny Manziel First

The 2014 NFL Scouting Combine will commence exactly two weeks from today, which means we’re that much closer to the actual draft itself.

The rumor mill is swirling, and that’s got columnist Gregg Doyel at CBS Sports fired up. He thinks the Houston Texans have absolutely no choice in this draft but to take Texas A&M star quarterback and former Heisman winner Johnny Maniel with the first overall pick.

Dec 31, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel (2) throws the ball pressured by Duke Blue Devils linebacker Kelby Brown (59) during the second quarter in the 2013 Chick-fil-a Bowl at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

“This is a smokescreen, what the Houston Texans are doing with Blake Bortles. It’s a bluff, what owner Bob McNair has been saying about Jadeveon Clowney.

Either that, or it’s stupid.

Because it’s absurd, the idea that the Texans are seriously considering taking anyone not named Johnny Manziel.

The Texans don’t just need to take Manziel with the No. 1 overall pick. They have to take Manziel. They have no other choice, for reasons that are football and business and public relations.”

It makes a ton of sense for the Texans to take Manziel with the top selection. His size isn’t as bothersome because of the way some shorter QBs have recently excelled in the NFL, though they are considered the exception, not the rule. Many criticize Manziel’s mechanics at this point, which is fair, but most people would consider him arguably–or maybe not–the best overall playmaker in this entire class of prospects.

Manziel has drawn comparisons to Fran Tarkenton, a Hall of Famer from former scouts. He’s been criticized for his off-field antics and potential work habits when he has an NFL-sized paycheck in his possession.

For my money, I think Doyel is right on the money. The Texans don’t need to flirt around with other QBs that don’t have as much potential as Manziel. If you could guarantee that every QB in this class would max out his potential, I think I would probably rank Manziel as my top overall player in the class. He’s been phenomenal over two years of college football, and he’s getting better.

Plus, going to Houston, he’d have a pretty easy job of handing the ball off to Arian Foster next season, or simply throwing it up to one of Andre Johnson or DeAndre Hopkins. I think Doyel is right in that this is a no-brainer pick for Houston, so we’ll see what they wind up doing.