NFL Films producer Greg Cosell isn't quite sure what to make of Texas A&M star Johnny Manziel, but he sure didn't like what he saw in the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner's last two regular-season games. Speaking with the Midday 180 radio program in Nashville (comments at 16:35 mark), Cosell said he doesn't believe any of the top quarterbacks in the 2014 draft, Manziel included, stand out as the type of passer who would stand out as a surefire top-10 pick in most drafts.
"He played two games this year, LSU and Missouri,(and) if those were the first two games you put on and watched, you'd say he was almost undraftable," Cosell said. "He was so bad in those two games, that you'd struggle to figure out, can I even draft this guy?"
Manziel and the Aggies lost to both LSU and Missouri to close the regular season as Texas A&M slipped out of the BCS bowl picture with its two worst offensive performances of the season. The third-year sophomore combined to complete 40 of 76 passes in those two games for 419 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Against LSU, especially, Manziel was as ineffective (16 of 41) as he ever had been in his two-year college career as a starter. Visibly frustrated in both games, he was also dealing with a thumb injury on his throwing hand at the end of the year as well.
"I've studied him maybe the hardest, because he's maybe the most polarizing player. As you evaluate and transition him, there is a wide variation in his play. So there is a consistency issue," Cosell added. "... At times, he's shown very strong flashes of structured pocket play that clearly projects to the NFL. So I think it will come down to how you balance these issues. He's much more of a see-it, throw-it quarterback than an anticipation thrower. He's not really a timing and anticipation thrower on film."
Despite his struggles toward the end of last season, Manziel is still likely to be a top-five pick this year. The Houston Texans (No. 1 pick), Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 3 pick), Cleveland Browns (No. 4) and Oakland Raiders (No. 5) all have a need at quarterback and are potential landing spots for Manziel.
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