EJ Manuel is quickly climbing up the NFL Draft board. Teams are quietly falling in love with the strong armed quarterback out of Florida State.
The latest stop on the EJ Manuel love fest happened in Cleveland. Manuel met with the Browns and head coach Rob Chudzinski.
Manuel told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that Chudzinski was so impressed by him, that “he compared him to Cam Newton.”
“He already brought up Cam when I was up in Cleveland on Monday,” Manuel said. “I think coach Chudzinski sees a lot of Cam Newton in me, so that’s kind of in my favor as far as being a guy that’s very similar to Cam’s playing style.”
Even though many predictions have the Browns selecting a defensive player at six, Manuel thinks he has a shot to end up in Cleveland.
“They said Cam was a third-round pick, and he went first overall,” Manuel said. “I’m sure a lot of people doubted him just like they’re still doubting me. Coach Chudzinski did a great job with Cam, and you saw how well he transitioned to the pros. He was Rookie of the Year and a Pro Bowl (quarterback).
“If I get drafted by Cleveland, I know coach Chudzinski and (offensive coordinator) Norv Turner would do a great job of getting me ready to play.”
If Manuel had another month before the draft I have no doubt he might shoot right past Geno Smith in the eyes of scouts and coaches.
Either EJ Manuel is loved by many, or the smokescreen of the century is going on here.