Manziel pro-day coverage: Tune into NFL Network for live coverage of Johnny Manziel's pro day at Texas A&M on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Johnny Manziel mania swept up college football over the past few years, but it remains to be seen if that will happen in the NFL. This week represents a big step in that direction, with Manziel throwing for just about everybody in the league at his pro day Thursday.
Manziel has turned in his impressive resume to clubs already but still needs to nail the interview this week if he wants a chance of going in the first round.
NFL Media analyst Gil Brandt has already gone on record as saying Manziel will surprise teams at his pro day. Could one of those be the club holding the No. 1 overall pick though?
"If he's going to convince them that they need to take him with the first overall pick -- I don't think stylistically he fits -- but he needs to prove it in the evenings and the meetings," NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah said Tuesday on NFL Netowrk's "Path to the Draft." "Show them he is football smart and dedicated to learning an NFL offense. I think they're going to go into College Station and do their homework.
"Go ask the film guy how much extra time Johnny was spending in that film room -- how much film was he taking home with him at night?"
The Texans are sending their triumvirate of coach Bill O'Brien, general manager Rick Smith and quarterbacks coach George Godsey to the workout, and they'll assuredly be looking for those answers and more. The team is committed to drafting a quarterback, but with what pick remains a mystery, probably even to the team at this point.
In Manziel, the team would be getting "one of the great competitors of all time" in college and an exceptional athlete, according to Brandt. Those are both great qualities to look for when trying to find the next great franchise quarterback, but there are a lot of checkboxes left that the team will have to go over in the coming weeks before making their decision on Manziel.
Texans fans clearly want their native son to be the first name called by the commissioner at Radio City Music Hall, but it remains to be seen if the dual-threat quarterback really fits in with what the new staff wants to do with the team.
"(Manziel) doesn't seem to fit the prototype of what Bill O'Brien has coached before, and not just in New England with Tom Brady," NFL Media analyst Charles Davis said. "He seems like a fit for Blake Bortles when all the elements line up."
O'Brien discussed the "fit" issue Tuesday and seemed to indicate Manziel's style wouldn't conflict with what he's looking for in a quarterback, or at least that he believes Manziel can thrive in the NFL.
Bortles' prototypical size for the position and ability in the pocket are two reasons why many see him as a more likely fit for the team than Manziel. On top of all that, there's also the prospect of grabbing defensive end Jadeveon Clowney with the top pick as well.
What O'Brien and Houston will do remains to be seen, but they should have more clarity once they have the chance to check out Manziel in person and put him through the ringer in the meeting rooms afterward.
Follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter @BryanDFischer.
