http://deadspin.com/leaked-internal-scou...socialflow

This scouting report from the Patriots on Manziel details how he was arrested for having a fake ID in 2012 and plead guilty to a lesser charge and was initially suspended by Texas A&M for the entire 2012 season.

He later appealed and the suspension was reduced to a probation.

But imagine if Manziel lost that appeal. He'd never have beaten Alabama. He'd never have won the Heisman.

The scouting report is pretty damning of him. The scout goes from tolerating his stuff to downright criticizing everything about him. Says he doesn't go to class, or workouts, or film sessions. Intersting read. 10th isn't going to like it though.

Not surprising in the least.

Stunned shocked surprised.






That we hadn't heard it earlier.

He won games while he was there, so I'm sure it won't ruffle 10th's feathers, or any other aTm fan's. I think for the most part we're pretty forgiving of our own players' foibles (short of serious lawbreaking), and few of us are naïve enough to think that many of these athletes don't behave like spoiled brats.

The other day, when I saw all of those Cleveland fans freaking out over their team's drafting of Johnny Manziel, I couldn't help but think of this...



I could certainly be wrong but this kid just has "BUST" written all over him...and in capital letters.

I know he was an excellent college football player and there's no disputing that. However, the list of NFL busts is chalk full of guys who were also excellent college football players, many of whom were better - if less decorated - than Jonathan Stylzzzzzzzz.

I don't even really care about the off-the-field stuff. So the kid's a douchebag, so what? The NFL is full of idiots. Hell, I'm a Steelers fan and our QB is as big of a dickbag as there is. It's just that I'd feel the same way about Johnny Bananassssss if he had Jesus Tebow's character. The fact that he has all of those tangible concerns (short, bad throwing mechanics, poor pocket presence/awareness, inconsistent accuracy, incompatible college offense, etc.) and add to it that he's reportedly a significant character risk too and I just don't understand what the hell the Browns are thinking? They stink and have for a long time. They need real players, not circus performers that happened to play in overly QB friendly systems.





Here's my prediction:

Manziel will come in and the initial reports in camp will be positively glowing. The pre-draft media hype mandates as much. I know Cleveland media very well and trust me when I tell you they'll be preparing his Canton bust by the end of training camp. They're desperate for a star attraction and Johnny Moneyfingers gives them a celebrity even if he doesn't necessarily solve their QB needs.

At the end of camp, Brian Hoyer will win the job and he'll do okay but the Browns will struggle - because they stink.

The pressure on the coaching staff from fans and local media to play Johnny Savior will be absolutely immense and first time head coach Mike Pettine will eventually capitulate.

Manziel will come in and spark the team for a game or two and everyone will lose their minds all over him and the Johnny Football proponents will be in full "I told you so" mode (just like they were after his BS pro day).

The problem of course will be that his mechanics will still suck and defenses will figure him out - they always do.

That's when things will get ugly as he will regress and regress some more and within a few years people will wonder, "What happened to 'Johnny Football?' Why did he flop so bad?" As if it's some big mystery. They'll blame Pettine for "ruining" the kid when in fact they should blame the owner, Jimmy Halam for overruling his actual football people and drafting the kid in the first place thus putting the kid, the first year head coach and the franchise itself in such a horrendous position.

Haslam told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio that he knew the Browns had to draft Manziel after a chance encounter with a local homeless man. Aside from the fact that the story is almost certainly made up, does that seem like a sane plan to anyone?

As I said earlier, I've been wrong before but as a Steelers fan, news of the Browns drafting Manziel literally made me laugh out loud at the sheer Cleveland Brownsishness of such a foolish decision. They truly are the gift that keeps on giving.

My only shock in all of it was that Dallas was somehow able to resist its natural temptation to draft the kid. I don't know if Jerry Jones was on a bathroom break or what at the time of the Cowboys' selection, but I was absolutely astonished that they were able to pass on such a sure fire circus attraction.

On the good side, the media has moved on from Tebow.

I am pretty lousy at guessing who will be a success or a bust in the NFL but I think the business with crashing the party in Austin, goofing off at the Manning Camp, and then pretending sign autographs and doing the money thing against Rice after sitting the first half all seem like major warning signs regarding maturity and judgment. That said, my observation has been that maturity and judgment are only a concern if you aren't performing at a very high level.

Doesn't surprise me to learn any of this. A&M wasn't going to suspend their best player when they needed to make a splash in the SEC.

He still got it done.... and in the end, that is what his NFL paycheck will be about, getting it done. The way the Browns are, if he blows off what he needs to do, he will get killed with the regular season starts.

The wisdom of the Browns ... a team so stocked in talent that after they trade their #4 pick down to pick up a cornerback at #8, they turn around and trade up for Manziel at #22.

Got to like those odds, with Manziel being the third QB the New Browns have picked at #22, after Brady Quin and Brandon Weedon.

(05-11-2014 12:39 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  The wisdom of the Browns ... a team so stocked in talent that after they trade their #4 pick down to pick up a cornerback at #8, they turn around and trade up for Manziel at #22.

Got to like those odds, with Manziel being the third QB the New Browns have picked at #22, after Brady Quin and Brandon Weedon.

Or that they started the draft with 10 picks, yet only drafted 6 players.

(05-10-2014 05:42 PM)CoogNellie Wrote:  Doesn't surprise me to learn any of this. A&M wasn't going to suspend their best player when they needed to make a splash in the SEC.

In August of 2012, he really hadn't proven anything on the field yet. Heck, he hadn't even taken a snap in a game yet.

Excerpts from the Patriots' scouting report in the linked article in the OP:

...father seems a little too involved and overstepping his boundaries.

...sources say he's a spoiled brat (grandfather gives him allowance, father bought him luxury car).

...Doesn't study the game, said to know about 60% of the offense in '12...

...never watches film; one source said only time he watched film during '12 was before ALUN.

...Comes from 'outlaw bloodlines', mom moved the family to Kerrville to get away from father's wild family. Father's family is said to be very shady people, always into something, they are the root of Johnny's personality.

...knows how to scheme the system, arrogant and full of himself, but he's not smug to coaches.

...Has been like this since Day 1, has never gone to class, goes to beat of own drum, but has ultimate confidence.

...Teammates don't dislike him, but there's some resentment, more so in the offseason when he isn't coming to workouts and they are busting their butt.

...Will never take football seriously enough for our coaching staff, he'll hate meetings, will have to drag him to work out, etc. The definition of the word maintenance.

CONCERNS: Maturity, passion for preparation, high-maintenance, work ethic

(05-11-2014 07:06 AM)CommuterBob Wrote:  Or that they started the draft with 10 picks, yet only drafted 6 players.

No need to draft targets, the Browns QB's normally have a wealth of targets in every game.

Though Browns supporters seem to be disgruntled by the high percentage of targets that are defensive backs for the other team.

I'm guessing UDFA's are cheaper?

There's one name that comes to mind: Aaron Hernandez. Most NFL teams, especially the New England Patriots (which ran the scouting report on Manziel and had Hernandez on its roster a year ago) will think more than twice before taking any chances on any player that has character issues.

(05-12-2014 02:54 AM)UTEPDallas Wrote:  There's one name that comes to mind: Aaron Hernandez. Most NFL teams, especially the New England Patriots (which ran the scouting report on Manziel and had Hernandez on its roster a year ago) will think more than twice before taking any chances on any player that has character issues.

Manziel does not equal Hernandez; not even in the same ball park