Former NFL coach and current ESPN analyst Jon Gruden thinks Johnny Manziel is going No. 2 overall in the NFL draft.
Making his annual pre-draft appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" show, Gruden spoke highly of Manziel.
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"I think he's going to go No. 2 overall," Gruden said, via coachingsearch.com. "Somebody, whether it be the Rams or another team, is going to move up and take this kid. There is too much production. It's astonishing production and I think he brings a vibe to your franchise.
"Some of these teams are in dire need of a quarterback; they are in dire need of hope. I think Manziel would give it to them. Somebody's got to pay a price, take a chance and go get this kid."
Most NFL.com analysts think Manziel will be the first quarterback off the board, but where he ends up will be the most-followed storyline in the first round.
Last month, Gruden compared Manziel to Brett Favre and said, "He's got more guts than most guys have."
Gruden also spoke with host Joe Scarborough, an Alabama alum, about Tide quarterback AJ McCarron. Gruden thinks McCarron goes in the third round.
"McCarron is interesting," Gruden said. "He can play, can manage a lot of complex football in your playbook. I don't think he has a great arm. I don't think he has great mobility, but he's an excellent quarterback."
Gruden also spoke about the recent play of former Alabama stars in the NFL.
"Some of these Alabama players got to pick it up," he said. "I'm waiting for (Mark) Ingram, Trent Richardson. I'm waiting for Mark Barron, some of the great Crimson Tide collegians to become great pro players."
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
