Three-Point Stance: Manziel, Oklahoma's recruiting statement, more

Today’s edition includes discussion of Johnny Football, Oklahoma's great start to 2017 recruiting and some quick hitters.

The worst pick in NFL Draft history?

That’s what some are saying about former Texas A&M Heisman winner Johnny Manziel following his release last week from the Cleveland Browns.

But keep in mind, we live in the most sensationalized era in media history where everything is the “greatest” or “worst” just to grab headlines. Heck, I’m sure I even do it.

The worst ever? He might not even be the worst ever by the Browns alone. Weren’t people just saying that about running back Trent Richardson, who was picked No. 3 overall by the Browns and has been a colossal failure, after he busted out again with the Colts?

What about QB Tim Couch, who was No. 1 in 1998 by the Browns?

At least Manziel wasn't a top five pick, going at No. 22 overall.

QB Ryan Leaf, at No. 2 overall by the Chargers in 1998 behind the great Peyton Manning, still ranks well ahead of Manziel for me, as does QB Jamarcus Russell at No. 1 by the Raiders in 2007, QB Akili Smith by the Bengals in 1999, OT Tony Mandarich at No. 2 in 1989 and WR Charles Rogers at No. 2 in 2003.

I guess most people are going based on the cockiness and arrogance of Manziel and some of the immaturity he showed during college and leading up to the draft, but taking a shot at him at No. 22 is no worse than the Minnesota Vikings reaching on Christian Ponder at No. 12 in 2011, for example.

Yes, many of us can stand here and play the “I told ya so, he was a bad apple” game in hindsight and I am certainly no fan of Manziel and his exploits off the field and some of his antics on it, but the kid had a ton of talent, he won the Heisman for a reason and the Browns took a gamble. The problem is that it was the Browns, the team that drafted guys like Couch, Brady Quinn, Brandon Weeden and now Manziel. The team that has become the laughing stock of the NFL, at least when it comes to quarterback evaluation.

So good luck to three people here: Good luck to Manziel as he tries to get his life straight after he has likely cashed his last NFL paycheck. (Who would take a chance on this guy?)

Good luck to either Carson Wentz or Jared Goff, one of whom will likely be the next victim of the Cleveland quarterback curse in this year’s draft.

Bye for now, Johnny Football. To me, you’re not the worst NFL Draft pick ever. So you have that, as well as the guaranteed millions the Browns wasted on you.

I love what I’m seeing down in Norman, Oklahoma, under Bob Stoops in 2017 recruiting.

Not only am I seeing an aggressive approach, but also a program that continues to make progress in California and is making a name for itself in Florida. It's also a team that is protecting its borders.

The Sooners, the only team to play balanced football on both sides of the ball in the Big 12 last season, has eight commitments, including a quartet of four-star defensive backs.

After locking up Tulsa (Okla.) Union cornerback Tre Brown just days after landing Oklahoma City (Okla.) John Marshall corner Justin Broiles, they are saying, “Stay out of our state” to the rest of the country with authority.

Collinsville, Okla. linebacker Levi Draper, currently the state’s No. 1 player, committed back in December. And in addition to the buzz they have in California and now in Florida with the commitment of cornerback Trajan Bandy from Miami (Fla.) Columbus in late February, the Sooners are hitting Texas, as they always should, as well.

Landing Mesquite (Texas) Horn quarterback Chris Robinson back in June was huge, but perhaps the biggest commitment was in January from offensive guard Tyrese Robinson from McKinney (Texas) McKinney Boyd, who could easily mature into a natural tackle with amazing size. In fact, it’s Robinson who has the highest ceiling of any Sooners commitment right now.

The Sooners finished in the national top 20 last year at No. 19, but they were a perennial Top 10 recruiting program for so many years before the Big 12 lost its way as a traditional recruiting power.

This 2017 start is the best I can remember for Stoops and company and could be the start to returning to that top 10 again.

It happens every year, yet I’m still surprised: A top college prospect got busted for a substance-related issue in the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft. This time, or at least most recently, it’s Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott being arrested for DUI. Prescott was starting to rise on a few draft boards and there had even been some talk of a team like the Denver Broncos taking him late in the first round with their quarterback needs, but now he will certainly land in the second or third round or fall even farther after a dumb mistake. As ESPN’s Todd McShay said and I will repeat forever, you’re either dependent or dumb, whether it’s booze or marijuana or whatever.

Commitments from high school freshmen rarely mean anything as I pointed out after defensive back Jaleel McRae committed to the Gators three weeks ago, and, in fact, it could be a disadvantage to get such an early commitment. But what if that commitment is from the younger brother of a player who could finish as that school's best running back ever? That’s slightly different, which is why I paid a bit more attention when Dalvin Cook’s freshman younger brother, James Cook, committed to the ‘Noles last week. But does it mean he will stick? Not necessarily, as so much can happen between now and then. But in this case, we all expected him to follow his brother to FSU, so it’s certainly not a disadvantage to have this early commitment.

Jim McElwain is no dummy. Kirby Smart and others in the SEC can complain all they want about Jim Harbaugh holding practice at IMG but McElwain came off just the right way when he addressed the topic.

“I’d come to Florida, too," McElwain said. "There are great players here, right? So I think for them it’s trying to gain an edge and give them the opportunity to practice in great weather. I don’t plan on taking ours to Michigan. I’m all for what he’s doing.”

Allow me to translate, if you will. What he’s telling recruits in Florida is this – “You are the cream of the crop, the best talent in the country, the weather in Michigan is so crappy and awful that Harbaugh has to bring his team down here to practice. If you want to follow him back up there and freeze your butt off, you better think twice. Of course he wants to be here, its great here.” At least that’s how I heard it. Smart, very smart and smarter than Smart, if you get my meaning.