NFL Draft Rumors: Dallas Cowboys had Johnny Manziel as highest rated player

May 9, 2014; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns first round draft pick Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M) speaks during a press conference at the Cleveland Browns Headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports /

The Dallas Cowboys had a chance to take Johnny Manziel with the No. 16 pick in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft but they passed and took an offensive lineman instead. While Zach Martin is a brilliant pick, the fans wanted Johnny Football and apparently so did the Cowboys — at least on paper.

According to Charean Williams, the Cowboys had Johnny Manziel as their highest rated player on then board when they went on the clock but still passed on him.

Jerry admitted Manziel was the highest-rated player on the Cowboys' draft board at No. 16. Just too much invested in Romo.
— Charean Williams (@NFLCharean) May 10, 2014

Jerry Jones stated that there’s no quarterback who can beat out Tony Romo — a debatable topic — and Mazniel wasn’t a fit. He would have been brilliant with the Cowboys if for nothing other than the publicity of it and the circus it would create, but even though the numbers wanted it to happen — and fate as well — it just wasn’t meant to be.

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