An extended look at Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes.

I believe Johnny Manziel had the skills and talent to become a good NFL quarterback. If that statement disqualifies you from taking my analysis seriously, I suggest you leave now.

Not all, but many of the people I have spoken with who couldn’t imagine Manziel being a good player in the NFL could not divorce their feelings about Manziel’s immaturity from his on-field skill. You can sense the emotion boiling up within them when they talk about him. They disliked a lot more about him than his major issues with recklessness between the lines.

Compartmentalizing the on and off-field behavior of a player rarely works out when it’s a player of Manziel’s extremes. In that sense, they are correct about never liking Manziel.

If I evaluated character, I would have liked Manziel a lot less than I did. But I don’t have the means to investigate this component of a prospect and despite what appeared to be obvious signals of trouble, I try to avoid playing arm-chair psychologist.

This is especially true when you read CBS’s retrospective look at Brett Favre’s behavior during (at least) his first two years as the Packers starter, which ironically, was published during the same week that Manziel was getting benched and blasted for similar behavior.

As far as I know, Patrick Mahomes’ wild play only happens between the lines. In this sense, Mahomes’ style is reminiscent of players like Manziel, Favre, Russell Wilson, Matt Stafford, and Jay Cutler.

Unfortunately, fans and media conflate these players’ style of play with personality or off-field behavior and judge them harsher than conventional passers. It’s part of the reason why Wilson and Favre are the exceptions to the rule.

This half-hour look at Mahomes examines the positives and negatives of his footwork, his arm talent, the way he sees the field, and his decision-making. While it’s an extended look, it’s not a definitive analysis of Mahomes’ game—I’m offering a glimpse into my process.

Thus far, I’m a fan. But the risks associated with his style of play and why it doesn’t often mesh with the working environment of NFL organizations could make Mahomes a boom-bust option for those in a decision-making capacity.

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