NFL Mock Draft 2014: ‘Godfather’ of draft ranks Johnny Manziel as No. 1 pick
By Bryan Rose
You may not know Gil Brandt by name, but the longtime VP of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys is known as the ‘Godfather’ of the NFL Draft.
Brandt, who worked for the Cowboys from 1960 to 1988 changed the way NFL teams scout, including the use of computers and analytics in addition to converting athletes from other sports into football players.
Known for his pioneering tactics and ability to see talent few others could, Brandt is revered in the draft community and he has pretty high praise for soon to be NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel, ranking him as the number one player on his draft board.
Per MMQB:
"A few league people raised their eyebrows when the godfather of the draft, Gil Brandt, put 6-0 Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel No. 1 on his first draft board. I asked Brandt why he did it. “I do have a tremendous belief in him,” Brandt said. “You are going to get 110% out of this guy every day of his life, every play of his life. If you don’t have a quarterback, and you want one, I believe this guy has a great chance to be good for a long time.”"
Brandt continued to gush over Manziel, which can be read in the above piece.
His praise comes off the heels of ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. also ranking Manziel as his number one pick.