The Jacksonville Jaguars have an edge on many teams in the Johnny Manziel arms race, and the team’s general manager certainly has a high opinion of the former Heisman Trophy winner.
Asked which quarterback is the most ready to step in and be able to play as early as Week 1, Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell told the Florida Times-Union in a class that “has a ways to go,” Manziel could play sooner rather than later.
“The majority of this class has a ways to go,” he said. “Johnny (Manziel) would probably be the one guy you could plug in there sooner rather than later just because his style of play isn’t going to change much from Year 1 to Year 2.”
Caldwell’s high praise of Manziel still doesn’t change the fact the Jags will likely not take him with the third overall selection. The team is slated to draft former Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack, according to the XN Sports Mock 3.0, with former Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins option 1A.
According to the report, the Jaguars will likely address the quarterback position with their second-round pick, perhaps in the form of Teddy Bridgewater, whose stock has dropped in recent weeks, or perhaps in the form of a Derek Carr, Tom Savage, A.J. McCarron, or Zach Mettenberger.
But perhaps the team would trade back into the first round if Manziel begins to slip. Per the Times-Union:
The Manziel-Jaguars talk probably means nothing: The Jaguars are still expected to go receiver or pass rusher if they stay put at No. 3 and then address quarterback at No. 39 or later.
Or the Manziel-Jaguars talk could mean something: Maybe he has made enough of an impression since he first met the Jaguars in late February that they could shock the league by taking him at No. 3 or later in the top 10 if they trade down.
Jacksonville has eight picks between the fourth and seventh rounds, which likely is not enough to move from 39th back into the first round, though Caldwell doesn’t expect a run on quarterbacks until the start of Round 2.
