The latest 2014 mock NFL draft from ESPN's Mel Kiper has Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel going to the Houston Texans as the No. 1 overall pick. UCF's Blake Bortle and Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater both go in the top 10.
Kiper released his first mock draft for 2014 on Wednesday. Below are Kiper's first five picks, courtesy of ESPN.
5. Oakland Raiders - Sammy Watkins (WR), Clemson
4. Cleveland Browns - Blake Bortles (QB), Central Florida
3. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jadeveon Clowney (DE), South Carolina
2. St. Louis Rams (via Washington) - Jake Matthews (OT), Texas A&M
1. Houston Texans - Johnny Manziel (QB), Texas A&M
Kiper listed Bridgewater, who was once projected to go first in April, going to the Minnesota Vikings at No. 8, according to SB Nation.
Manziel's biggest drawbacks for NFL teams are questions about his maturity and his body size. Still, Kiper believes those aren't enough to keep the dynamic playmaker from going No. 1 to the quarterback-needy Texans.
"When you talk to people in the league, I get a consensus on Manziel that I don't get with Bortles or Bridgewater; a consensus that Manziel at worst is going five, he's going in the top five somewhere," Kiper explained Wednesday on ESPN. "And this is a guy who if you start thinking about him at five or seven, hey what's wrong with No. 1? It's not like your paying Stafford or Bradford money.
"Johnny Manziel is a magician on the field. If he eats, sleeps and drinks football 365 days a year, to me, he can be a very good to great player in the NFL. And today's NFL kind of suits his skill set very effectively and very well. ...
"If (the Texans) take a quarterback, I think Manziel is going to have to be heavily in the discussion."
Manziel, winner of the 2012 Heisman Trophy, filed early-entry paperwork to declare for the NFL on Jan. 8. The redshirt sophomore finished his collegiate career with 7,820 passing yards and 63 touchdowns, along with 2,169 yards and 30 touchdowns on the ground.
