Nate Burleson: 'Johnny's still the man'

Johnny Manziel might not be the starting quarterback for the Browns,
but that doesn't mean his teammates don't believe in him.

Even though Johnny Manziel might not start for the Cleveland Browns in 2014, he's receiving support from one veteran wide receiver. Nate Burleson backed Manziel even though he lost the starting job to Brian Hoyer, Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

"I'll just say this, Johnny's still the man,'' said Burleson. “He's still a really good quarterback. He's an NFL-quality starting quarterback. Johnny will be successful in this league. ''

However, Burleson doesn't question the Browns decision to start Hoyer over Manziel.

Burleson still believes in Manziel even though
he won't be the starter in Cleveland.

"We've got really two quarterbacks that are good, and I've been saying that since we first got to camp,'' he said. "Regardless of who was named the starter week one, I feel like we were going to be winners. I say that selfishly speaking as a receiver, I get to benefit from that. I caught balls, touchdowns in 1-on-1s, made plays from both quarterbacks. So for me, I was straddling the fence between the two.”

Burleson has praised both players since training camp started.

"They've both got their qualities, their different in ways, but I like the way Brian has commanded the leadership of this team and grabbed ahold of the playbook. But Johnny being the No. 2 as you want to call it, we got arguably the best No. 2 in the NFL. I'm OK with that.''

Burleson might be trying to bolster the confidence of Manziel after he lost out on the starting job. Either way, he has made it clear he thinks Manziel can be successful in the NFL and that should give the rookie confidence moving forward.

James Talks Dalton and Manziel on the Monday Morning Quarterback Show

James joined Chick Ludwig on Cincinnati's Fox Sports 1360 to talk about Andy Dalton's contract extension and Johnny Manziel's preseason debut.

Chick and James' Bengals Training Camp Preview

Here is a compilation of audio clips from The Monday Morning Quarterback Show previewing Bengals training camp on Fox Sports 1360. The MMQB airs every Monday morning from 6am-9am on Cincinnati's Fox Sports 1360.

Don't Doubt Johnny Football

Johnny Manziel is a rare playmaker that
 doesn't come around very often.

Draft day is finally here and the speculation can end. We will find out who teams really value. The most talked about player in this draft is Johnny Manziel. Some people love him. Some people hate him. Others don't know what to make of him. A lot of people tell me he is going to be a problem. They say he has a big ego and they don't like his ‘smug' attitude.

I don't know him personally. I don't know all of the details behind the ‘Johnny Football' persona. But, please name me one player that is going to be a top pick in the NFL Draft that doesn't have confidence. You can't name one. And if you can, that isn't a player I want on my team.

Manziel has all of the intangibles you look for in your franchise quarterback. He is a hard worker. How do I know that? Because of the respect all of his former Texas A&M teammates give him. They wouldn't respect him if he were lazy. He's a polarizing figure. He will make a team like the Jacksonville Jaguars relevant instantly.

Johnny Football isn't afraid to take a hit. His film shows he will do anything it takes to win. Yet instead of talking about that, the media wants to talk about how he's 5'11" and not 6'1". Most of the doubters act like two inches is the difference between him being a star versus a bust.

Manziel can play football at a high level. His teammates have always had good things to say about him. He's dealt with media scrutiny and still delivered in prime time games, yet most people still doubt his ability to succeed in the NFL. We know he won't crumble under high expectations. That is a big deal in the NFL. It's something quarterbacks struggle to learn throughout their careers. Tony Romo, Andy Dalton, Phillip Rivers are still trying to learn how to perform under pressure. Donovan McNabb never did learn it. This kid has been through it already and he's just 21-years-old. 

What team will select Manziel on draft day?

He is a polarizing player that possesses playmaking magic. A player like this doesn't come around often. The magic he has is Brett Favre-esque. If he has a 20 percent chance to be the second coming of Favre wouldn't you want him on your team?

Everyone talks about the ‘risk' that comes with Manziel. I don't see the risk. He's never had any major issues with his coaches or teammates. People are worried about his durability, but he never missed a game in two seasons. He's proven he wants to win and he made Texas A&M relevant for the past two seasons.  Remember when the joined the Southeastern Conference? People were worried about the Aggies. Instead, he led them to back-to-back top 20 finishes; two bowl victories and a 20-6 record.

The team that drafts Manziel is going to get a playmaker. I've compared him to Tyrann Mathieu of the Arizona Cardinals. I loved Mathieu last season. People criticized his size. They didn't like his off the field activity. He did have more off the field questions than Manziel. However, he was a playmaker. And once he got to Arizona the coaches raved about him. I have a feeling the team that selects Manziel will feel the same way.

The draft is less than 24 hours away and we will find out where he lands. One team will get better instantly, while others will regret their decision, unless the Houston Texans take him with the first pick.

Manziel will have the biggest impact of any player is this draft, even if the rest of you don't know it yet.

2014 NFL Draft Preview