If Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel is an NFL bust one day, Jamal Lewis will be saying 'I told you so.'
The former All-Pro running back spoke to TMZ about the Heisman Trophy winner, and made it clear he thinks little of Manziel's future as a pro quarterback. Lewis also predicted that trouble is afoot for Manziel away from football, as well.
"I don't think he'll do good on the field or off the field," said Lewis, who will be a guest on "NFL Total Access" on NFL Network at 8 ET Wednesday. "I like him, but as a professional quarterback, I don't. He's a great college quarterback."
Asked if Manziel's NFL career might incur the same struggles that Tim Tebow's did, Lewis said, "Exactly."
Tebow, a former first-round pick of the Denver Broncos who, like Manziel, entered the league with a great reputation as a rusher, struggled with accuracy and reading defenses. He was cut by the New England Patriots in August. Manziel, however, has drawn much the opposite sort of attention off the field that Tebow attracted.
Lewis may or may not be an astute evaluator of quarterbacks, but the 2003 Pro Bowler certainly knows a thing or two about winning. He won a national championship at Tennessee and a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens, highlighting a 10-year NFL career in which he rushed for more than 10,000 yards.
And Lewis indicated Manziel is more likely to sell tickets than win games at the next level.
"(He brings) good excitement that people want to see, that's it," he said.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread. *
