The Cleveland Browns are undoubtedly pleased with how Johnny Manziel has filled in for the injured Josh McCown. Manziel completed 8-of-15 passes (53.3 percent) for 172 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers in Cleveland's 28-14 win over the Tennessee Titans Sunday. But even with the progress Manziel has shown these last two weeks, it's almost a guarantee that the Browns will be quarterback hunting in the 2016 NFL Draft.
There's been a lot of reshuffling among the top QB prospects in college football early this season. Penn State's Christian Hackenberg is being battered behind a patchwork offensive line and has yet to bounce back from a poor 2014 season like many predicted. Ohio State's Cardale Jones may have lost his starting job after a dismal showing against Northern Illinois. Michigan State's Connor Cook is solid, yet may not be anything more than a game manager at the next level. The one constant under center lately has been Cal QB Jared Goff and that's who CBS Sports' Rob Rang projects the Browns to pick in next year's draft.
"Johnny Manziel guided the Browns to a thrilling win over the Titans but he'll have to continue his playmaking ways all season long to let Cleveland pass up on Goff," Rang wrote. "Goff is slighter than scouts would like but the ball placement and poise he's shown so far in 2015 has him pulling away from the competition in this quarterback class."
ESPN NFL Insider Todd McShay has been driving the Goff bandwagon for some time now, listing him as the top QB prospect earlier this month.
"Goff has had a productive first two seasons (61.2 percent completion rate, 7,481 passing yards and 53 TDs), but he needs to get more consistent with his lower-body mechanics and decision-making while also continuing to add bulk to his frame in 2015," McShay wrote. "He has shown the ability to make NFL-caliber throws into tight windows, which helps him stand out from the crowd in this QB class."
In three games this season, Goff has thrown for 898 yards with nine touchdowns and only two interceptions. He is completing 73.1 percent of his passes.
