Poll: 69 percent of players think Manziel will succeed in NFL
By Sam Richmond
There might not be a more polarizing figure in the NFL these days than Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel. There’s one side that believes Manziel’s electrifying style will translate to the next level and another that believes he doesn’t have the passing ability or the size to be a star in the pros.
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Well, based on a recent poll conduct by ESPN’s NFL Nation, it seems NFL players are in the former camp.
From Jim Trotter:
"The survey, conducted by ESPN.com’s NFL Nation reporters, asked 100-plus players: “Yes or no: Johnny Manziel will be a bust.” Of the 82 players who answered, 69 percent said Manziel would succeed in the NFL."
Considering how many seem to be turned off by Manziel’s antics, it’s somewhat fascinating to see that he seems to have the respect of much of his NFL brethren.
But perhaps unfortunately for those who said they believe in Manizel, this poll was almost certainly conducted before the Browns’ Monday night preseason game against the Washington Redskins. Manziel struggled throughout the game, completing just 7-16 passes for 65 yards, and created a controversy as ESPN cameras caught him flipping the bird to the Redskins bench.
It would be interesting to see if Manziels’ terrible night would cause some to waver in their belief of him.
Manziel is still waiting to see if he will named the Browns’ Week 1 starter. Johnny Football’s top competition for the job, Brian Hoyer, had a poor show against Washington as well, throwing for 16 yards on 2 of 6 passing.