NFL Draft Rumors: Houston Texans may attempt trade for Johnny Manziel?

Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien knows Johnny Manziel quite well, so well in fact that O’Brien wants to draft the former Texas A&M product but simply can’t justify doing so with the No. 1 pick.

That’s the word from ESPN’s Ed Werder who hints that Houston could attempt to facilitate a trade for Manziel.

"According to ESPN’s Ed Werder, “some people in the league” who know Texans coach Bill O’Brien “well” believe he wants to take Manziel at No. 1 overall, but “can’t justify doing so” with Jadeveon Clowney and Khalil Mack on the board. Werder hinted Manziel could be a possibility for the Texans in a trade down."

It’s difficult to project where exactly Manziel will be drafted as he’s been suggested to go as high as the No. 2 pick to potentially falling out of the top ten and maybe even further, so crafting a trade would seem somewhat difficult.

Werder also doesn’t completely clarify if Houston would be selecting a player with the No. 1 pick and then attempt to trade for Manziel in addition or if it’s a straight trade down, but it sounds to be a traditional trade down scenario.

Of note, Adam Schefter believes Manziel’s likely to come off the board between the No. 3 pick and the No. 13th pick.