Johnny Manziel hasn’t officially announced his plans for the future of his playing career, but if he does decide to leave Texas A&M and enter the 2014 NFL Draft, the sophomore quarterback believes that he’s ready for the pros.
“Biggest factor [for NFL] is, ‘Am I ready for the next level?’ You don’t want to be unprepared for NFL and leave two years on [the] table,” Manziel recently told Gabe Bock of TexAgs.com. “I’ll sit down in the next few weeks and talk to [my mentors and coaches] to see if I’m ready for the NFL. In my mind, I am ready.”
The Aggies quarterback is one of six finalists for the 2013 Heisman Trophy, and if Manziel wins, he will become the first back-to-back winner since Ohio State running back Archie Griffin in 1974-75.
Manziel led the Aggies to an 8-4 record and a trip to the Chick-fil-A Bowl against Duke this season. He threw for 3,732 yards, 33 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, while also tallying 686 rush yards and eight touchdowns.
Based on his excellent play over two seasons in College Station and the likelihood that he would be a top 20 pick in the first round, it would be a surprise if Manziel decided to return to the Aggies for his junior season. Sports Illustrated’s Chris Burke has Manziel going to the Oakland Raiders at No. 8 overall in his latest mock draft.
The good news for Manziel, if he decides to leave school, is that several NFL teams are in need of a franchise quarterback, including the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, the Raiders and maybe even the Chicago Bears depending on Jay Cutler‘s future.
