While Johnny Maziel, better known as Johnny Football, was on fire during Saturday’s Texas A&M game against Alabama, some are reporting that he is too much of a personal liability to be a reasonable draft pick for the NFL.
Despite losing the game 49-42, Manziel managed to rack up 562 yards of offense against the Tide. Even with his impressive performance though, Peter King of Sports Illustrated wrote, “Manziel, to many teams right now, would be undraftable because they’re scared of his mood swings and off-field questions.”
King clarified in a later tweet, “No one can know where Manziel will be drafted now–IF he declares for ’14 draft. Draft is 34 wks away. Lots of drinking nights before then.”
Manziel has become the center of a scandal with allegations he was paid for autographs, in direct violation of NCAA rules. After the NCAA could find no direct evidence of the payment, he was suspended for the first half of the season opener.
He also is known for his partying ways. His own father told ESPN back in July, “I don’t know where the anger comes from. I don’t think he knows. If it comes from his drinking, or if he’s mad at himself for not being a better person when he fails, when he fails God and his mom and me. If it makes him angry that he’s got demons in him. You can only speculate because you can’t go in there.”
He wouldn’t be the first star player to have a volatile off-the-field life though. Unless he manages to screw up everything, odds are his raw talent will make him a top pick for drafting.