Johnny Manziel has been impressed with Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders so far this season.
The Heisman Trophy winner thinks Sanders could possibly be the top quarterback off the board in the upcoming NFL Draft.
“Shedeur is obviously going to be a guy that’s going to be looked at and probably be the top quarterback coming off the board this year. He’s played well for what he’s around him at times, he had guys out this week, and he still continues to find a way to put up good numbers and play really well,” Manziel said during a recent episode of the “Big Bets on Campus Podcast.”
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Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, #2, poses with the Centennial Cup after beating CSU in the Rocky Mountain Showdown at Canvas Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024 in Fort Collins, Colorado. (IMAGN)
Colorado is 4-2 on the season in large part because of Sanders’ strong play. Sanders has completed 72.6% of his passes, throwing for 2,018 yards with 17 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
The Buffaloes lost their most recent game to No. 18 ranked Kansas State 31-28, but Sanders played well despite top target and Heisman candidate Travis Hunter leaving the game early with injury.
Sanders completed 34-of-40 passes for 388 yards, throwing three touchdowns and one interception.
Even despite Sanders’ strong play, Manziel is not sold that some of the teams projected at the top of the draft board would take Sanders due to their current quarterback situation.
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Former Texas A&M player Johnny Manziel is interviewed during the game between the Aggies and Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at Kyle Field. (Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)
“I think the Carolina (Panthers) situation is one that’s obvious they’re going to go in a different direction. I mean you spend the picks to get Bryce Young, and now he is sitting there on the bench,” Manziel said.
The Panthers benched Young for 37-year-old Andy Dalton after the former Alabama quarterback went 2-16 in 18 career starts, despite giving the Chicago Bears a lot of draft capital to select Young.
The Panthers gave up wide receiver DJ Moore, a 2023 first-round pick (used on OT Darnell Wright), a 2023 second-round pick (used on CB Tyrique Stevenson), a 2024 first-round pick (used on QB Caleb Williams) and a 2025 second-round pick. All four players are starters for the Bears.
“The Jacksonville (Jaguars) situation to me is a little bit more of a different situation. You know you didn’t just draft this guy; you just actually unloaded the Brinks truck and backed it up to his house. So, I think they are going to stick with Lawrence probably through some of these growing pains and I don’t think they have the ability to really be able to move on,” Manziel added.
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Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, #2, rolls out to pass against the UCF Knights during the first quarter at FBC Mortgage Stadium. (Mike Watters-Imagn Images)
The Jaguars gave Lawrence a five-year, $275 million contract extension in June that runs through 2030. The Jaguars are currently 1-5 and sorely need a win against the reeling New England Patriots, who have lost five straight games, this week in London.
Sanders will continue to make his case to be the top quarterback drafted next April when the Buffaloes take on Arizona on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. ET.
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