TT comment about the NFL draft - May 2014

The NFL is the only sport that I follow, and I've been listening to AM 850 WKNR when I can for a few years now. It's basically the all-Browns sports station.

Since we don't get ESPN on TV, I listened to the first round of the NFL draft by dialing up WKNR over the Internet. As an NFL geek, listening to last night's draft was fascinating.

The local WKNR sports radio chaps broadcast the draft from the Rocksino. The crowd started buzzing when the Browns traded up with Philadelphia to move from #26 to #22. And then the place went crazy when the Browns selected Johnny.

Even if Johnny turns out be a bust, it's damn good theatre for the lowly Browns. At least in college, he played well against good competition. Manziel did not pad his stats only against weak teams.

Drew Brees is only 6-feet tall. Russell Wilson is only 5-feet 11-inches tall. Both are mobile QBs with strong, accurate arms. Manziel's height is around 5-feet 11-inches. I don't consider his size an issue.

The bare minimum requirements for a good NFL QB are arm strength and accuracy, and for the most part, those things cannot be taught.

Obviously, other traits then factor in, such as reading defenses, making decisions, etc. But without the arm strength and accuracy, it's tough to be a good starter in the NFL.

So if Manziel's arm strength does not match the likes of Flacco, Roethlisberger, Dalton, Rivers, Luck, Brady, Peyton, Rogers, etc., then Manziel will be a 2nd or 3rd string QB.

I think the problem with RGIII was the number of designed running plays that he ran in his rookie year. When I saw the Redskins play in 2012, I was amazed at how many times he kept the ball on designed running plays. I couldn't believe that the Redskins coaching staff subjected their first round QB to that kind of punishment even if he is good at it. I don't see how that's sustainable in the NFL. And I think that's why RGIII got banged up in his rookie season, and why he was somewhat ineffective last year.

A mobile QB is a good asset. Elway and Steve Young were mobile QBs, but they rarely ran designed running plays. Wilson and Kaepernick will occasionally run a designed running play, but it's not as often as people think. They are good at scrambling when under pressure on pass plays and then running for yardage if they have too. But Wilson and Kaepernick are always thinking pass first.

Anyway, with Johnny Football, I look forward to the Browns' first pre-season game.

New Browns GM Ray Farmer was certainly active in last night's first round. The Browns had two first round picks, and they made three trades, moving to different spots.

The Browns' first pick was at #4, but they traded down