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Sumlin: Johnny Manziel will make draft decision before bowl

Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel will announce whether he will stay or turn pro before the Aggies' bowl game, head coach Kevin Sumlin told ESPN Radio's "SVP and Russillo" show Friday.

"We haven't had that conversation," Sumlin said on the radio show. "My job is to get him all the facts that we can get him. We'll have that discussion after the Missouri game, certainly during the bowl preparation. I'm sure the announcement will be made at that time."

A redshirt sophomore, Manziel is eligible to enter the 2014 draft because he is three years removed from playing in high school.

One possibility for the Aggies is the Cotton Bowl, which Texas A&M played in last year. That game will be played Jan. 3, and a Manziel announcement would probably come during the practice week in Dallas, which would begin Dec. 30. Another possibility for the Aggies is the Outback Bowl in Tampa, which kicks off New Years Day.

Given that feedback from the NFL Draft Advisory Board doesn't generally reach underclassmen until the first week of January, it's unlikely Manziel will lend much weight to that process. In the absence of the league's formal avenue for underclassmen to inquire about draft status, Manziel can still get plenty of credible projections. Sumlin has said he maintains NFL contacts to help any underclassmen faced with that decision, and as well said he does not offer his players his opinion unless first asked.

Last week, a teammate dropped a hint that Manziel, along with WR Mike Evans, would enter the draft.

Manziel is among the frontrunners for this season's Heisman Trophy. He has passed for 3,313 yards with 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He has also rushed for 611 yards and eight touchdowns.

Texas A&M concludes its regular-season schedule Nov. 30 at Missouri.

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