Ummm no. He hasn't. This level of competition stuff is hilarious. It's college, there's a handful of players who will start at the NFL level in any conference. Johnny will come into the league, win a few games and get everyone excited (Tebow, VY, RG3) then flame out like all these "exciting" college QBs do.
Someone that can convert third and long (heh just as i start typing this, peyton converts 3rd and 17). In the simplest terms, that's the skill that separates the managers from the game changers. That skill also transfers to the red zone, because it's driven by the same abilities when the defenses compact. As for the athletic advantage, it's the difference between his athleticism and the athleticism of the defenders trying to chase him down, he's never faced anything close to a an NFL D-line. And he's just not that fast, yeah he has some quickness, but Kaepernick for example is more athletic than just about every OLB in the NFL, that's the difference.
Converting 3rd downs isn't the same as scoring in the red zone. Just ask Kubiak... His offenses could move the ball all day long between the 20's but once they got in the red zone _ different story. Short field so the playing area is compact. The defenses have less field to defend. A game changer IMO is a guy who scores are is a threat to score. Defenses have to change everything up when dealing with a 2-way QB especially one who is an elite playmaker. They can't defend as they normally do, they have to change their game ---> Game Changer. As far as Johnny. Alabama's defense has several NFL caliber players on it (they usually always do) and they couldn't catch him _ twice. We'll see how fast he is come combine but he's illusive as heck.
I'm posting in this thread to complain about the other Manziel thread ("Poll: The push for Johnny Manziel - The TAMU Factor") being locked! The best way to take the "temperature" around here regarding Manziel is to isolate for varying levels of A&M fandom--that poll would be a much better indicator of the consensus around here than whatever is being discussed in this thread. BRING IT BACK! (Please.)
Those times are "olympic" fast. Chris Johnson ran a 4.24 in 2008, one of the fastest NFL times. Bo Jackson supposedly hit 4.1 before hi tech timers.
None of this means anything. Reminds me of the opening of Moneyball. Johny faced the best D lines in the country. No question. Zero. You can't even compare the D-lines of the SEC to the American Athletic Conference or Conference USA. Don't even try because no one will take you seriously. They are not on the level of NFL but they are damn good and many of them go to the NFL. Not a lot of guys can do that and it says a lot about his abilities. The dude converts. He improvises. He hits his targets. He makes good decisions for the most part. It's not even close. Doesn't care about A&M and doesn't want Manziel is BY FAR in the lead. No need to continue.
Im a big fan of Johnny...but his OLine was one of the best in the country. If he had Louisville's OLine and was playing SEC competition every week, then you'd have a solid point.
This reminds me when Vince Young was coming out of college and people were saying we should draft him because he was a local product and an exciting player. I'm a longhorn fan but I knew he wouldn't do well in the NFL because the things he did in college didn't translate in the NFL. I've seen enough of Manziel that I can say he would be a big risk to take #1 overall because the things he did in college (like VY) just doesn't work in the NFL.
actually Vince had a 65% completion and Manziel at 68-69. Not exactly much better but more like a little better.
Completion % doesn't tell the story of a passer. People always laugh at scouts when they talk about throwing mechanics, but time and time again they are proven right. The QBs who succeed with bad throwing mechanics are the exception, not the rule. People's failure to understand that is why anytime a short QB, or a QB with bad mechanics thrives they think it proves scouts wrong.
Most of the time the scouts are wrong. Otherwise why are so many qbs taken in the 1st round who are busts? There is no guarantee of success in the pros.
But Young's mechanics were horrible. Everyone knew he would have a hard time transitioning that throwing motion in the NFL. Manziel's mechanics are not perfect but by far superior
I agree on the mechanics part but I just don't see Manziel's style of football working out in the NFL because I think he will get hurt a lot.