Where did Johnny Manziel play college football? His journey from a varsity team receiver to a dual-threat quarterback

Johnny Manziel was considered one of the greatest and most dynamic college quarterbacks of all time. While he did not have the same success in the NFL, Manziel remains among the most popular athletes in NCAA history. Let's take a look at how the former collegiate star performed in his college career.

How did Johnny Manziel perform in his college career?

Johnny Manziel began his high school career as a wide receiver. However, he made the switch to quarterback during his sophomore season. Manziel finished his high school career with 7,626 passing yards, 76 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions while completing 63.5% of his passes. He added 4,045 rushing yards and 77 touchdowns on 531 carries while catching 30 passes for 582 receiving yards and one touchdown.

Manziel won the Mr. Texas Football Award in 2010 and was recruited as a four-star prospect in the 2011 recruiting class. After redshirting his true freshman season, Manziel took over the starting role in 2012.

He finished the year with 3,706 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and just nine interceptions. Manziel completed 68.0% of his passes while adding 1,410 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on 201 carries.

The 30-year-old became the first freshman in NCAA history to win the Heisman Trophy. Manziel also won the Davey O'Brien Award and Manning Award as the nation's best quarterback. He was named AP College Football Player of the Year, Sporting News Player of the Year, and SEC Offensive Player of the Year. Manziel was also selected as a consensus All-American and named to the first-team All-SEC.

He threw for 4,114 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions the following season. Manziel completed 69.9% of his passes while adding 759 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 144 carries. He finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting and was named to the first-team All-SEC.

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How did Johnny Manziel perform in his professional career?

Johnny Manziel was drafted 22nd overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2014 NFL Draft. He lasted just two seasons in the league, making just 14 appearances and eight starts. Manziel threw for 1,675 yards, seven touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He completed 57.0% of his passes while adding 259 rushing yards and one touchdown on 46 carries.

While Manziel has not played in the NFL since 2015, he did play in the Canadian Football League in 2018. He spent the 2019 season playing in the Alliance of American Foundation. Manziel has played in the Fan Controlled Football league since 2021.