The top pick in the draft remains a mystery to anyone outside the Houston Texans war room.
But how to spend the first overall pick is a no-brainer for former Texans interim coach Wade Phillips.
He urged Texans owner Bob McNair to use the first overall pick on Texas A&M star Johnny Manziel when he interviewed for the permanent head coaching job in January.
MAYOCK:
Manziel not a top 15 pick
IT'S TIME:
Clowney tired of waiting for draft
MANZIEL:
'I've answered every question'
Phillips had the electric Doug Flutie when he coached the Buffalo Bills from 1998-2000 and told McNair that Manziel is a Flutie-like, franchise energizer.
And while Phillips sees similarities between South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney and Hall of Fame pass rusher Bruce Smith, whom Phillips also coached in Buffalo, Phillips feels Manziel will be the better pro.
"I would take Johnny Manziel first overall. He should be the No. 1 pick,'' Phillips told USA TODAY Sports.
"The guy makes plays nobody else makes. And Doug Flutie was that way, too.''
When I had Flutie, he was 35. If he didn't have had to go play in Canada earlier in his career, the guy maybe would have been a Hall of Famer."
In fairness, Phillips did create a stir when he benched Flutie for Rob Johnson after Flutie led the Bills to the playoffs before the infamous Jan. 8, 2000 "Music City Miracle'' wild-card loss to the Tennessee Titans. But that doesn't change his take on the special something Manziel brings.
"I really like Manziel,'' Phillips said. "But a lot of times it's safer to take a defensive or offensive lineman. Bob McNair said, 'What about taking Clowney and taking a quarterback later on?' ''
Phillips believes that if the Texans don't trade the top pick they likely won't take a quarterback.
"Quarterbacks are difference makers, if you find one you believe in, you've got to go with him. I saw Manziel put 45 points on Alabama ... And they've got pro-type players on defense and good schemes.''
