The day of the NFL draft is a good time to look back at some takes, both good and bad, from previous drafts. Today, that bad take belongs to former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden who, while with ESPN in 2014, was adamant that team’s should have taken Johnny Manziel high in the first round.
Manziel was coming off two strong college seasons, throwing for over 7,800 yards with 63 passing touchdowns in those two years. He also won the Heisman Trophy for his 2012 year at Texas A&M.
Among the teams who Gruden thought should take Manziel: Texans, Raiders, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Browns (at pick No. 8), Titans, Cowboys, and the Texans again.
Instead those teams took Jadeveon Clowney, Khalil Mack, Mike Evans, Taylor Lewan and Zack Martin instead, all of which made a Pro Bowl. The only team whose draft pick didn’t work out was the Browns, who took Justin Gilbert in the top 10, and took Manziel anyway at pick No. 22.
Manziel flamed out, lasting only two years in the NFL. In his NFL career, he totaled just 1,675 passing yards and seven touchdowns in 14 games.
