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Johnny Manziel NFL Draft Rumors: Browns No Longer Interested, While Gruden Sees Shades of Steve Young

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Last week, Johnny Manziel's person quarterback coach said the young draft prospect is fully prepared to be a Cleveland Brown should they take him, but the feeling might not be mutual.

NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah told the Dan Patrick Show Wednesday the Browns' interest in Manziel left when the organization parted ways with former CEO Joe Banner and GM Michael Lombardi. They are now looking favorably at Derek Carr and would like to take him with their 26th overall selection.

"The one thing about the combine is, you get there, you're around all your contacts, a lot of different NFL people," said Jeremiah. "And it had been so out there that the Browns loved Manziel under the previous regime, and I talked to enough people that firmly believe that that was a total smokescreen.

"Their guy is Derek Carr and they're going to take a different player with the fourth pick and they want to take Derek Carr with their second one (at No. 26)... I heard that from several different places."

The Browns are one of four teams within the first five selections who are reportedly interested in taking a QB. With the first pick, the Houston Texans are reportedly split between defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, Manziel and Blake Bortles. Bill O'Brien supposedly would rather have a traditional pocket passer instead of a QB like Manziel, known for his creativity behind the line.

Also in search of a QB will be the Jacksonville Jaguars (3rd) and the Oakland Raiders (5th), both of whom seem to be fits for Manziel.

Manziel has been the most talked about NFL Draft prospect by far even though he could possibly be selected after both Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater. But if it were up to former head coach Jon Gruden, he would take Manziel.

"I really like Manziel. If I was coaching today, I would want a quarterback like Johnny Manziel. It's hard to find a player that can create offense on his own. He does things that Brett Favre did when I was in Green Bay. He does things that Ben Roethlisberger does for the Steelers," Gruden told 247Sports.com. "He makes yards on his own. He has a strong desire and aptitude to learn and I think that will happen. He threw the ball extremely well today.

"I don't think anything is going to be pure in the pocket. He has his own style of playing quarterback. He reminds me a lot of Steve Young when Steve Young came out of Brigham Young."

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