johnny manziel

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Let me start by saying I love “Draft Day” by Drake. One of my favorite loosies from him. It also features one of his best verses ever. However, on this day of the NFL Draft in 2020, we must take a look back and realize that the Johnny Manziel and Andrew Wiggins lines aged horribly. Like, really bad. And as a Cleveland fan, it pains me to have to write this.

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Let’s just take a look at the first line: “Draft Day, Johnny Manziel.” Oh boy. Listen, in the spring of 2014 when this song dropped and my Cleveland Browns drafted Johnny, you really couldn’t tell me shit. The song was on repeat. I popped champagne on Draft night. Johnny was a force in college. I’m not sure I’ve seen a better performance than what he did on the road against Alabama in 2012.

He looked special, though there were loud rumors about character issues. Still, I had dreams of a Super Bowl. And well, Manziel only spent two year with the Browns and started a total of eight games with seven TDs and seven INTs. A TOTAL BUST, Drake.

Now, it isn’t Drake’s fault that this happened. He rapped about his friend getting drafted. All love. But man, Manziel’s NFL career couldn’t have ended up worse. Some say this was the true beginning of the Drake curse. And folks, it’s hard to argue with that one!

Ok, let’s move on to the next line in question: “Draft Day, A Wiggins.” This one is a bit more complicated than the Manziel line. Andrew Wiggins isn’t totally a bust in the NBA. He got a max contract and has put up solid numbers, though many complain about the way he plays and the fact that he never turned into a true superstar.

As a Cleveland fan, it’s also hard for me to hate on Wiggins. In a roundabout way he helped the Cavs win a title by being the biggest piece in the Kevin Love trade after LeBron James returned to the team. All love from me, but when we talk about the context of the song, Wiggins really didn’t live up to the billing that Drake gave him here. I’m sorry Drake, but we’re giving you an 0/2 here. Just the way it is. I will say, it is hilarious that both of these players had a connection to Cleveland in some way. Underrated city, in my unbiased opinion.

So yes, just over six years since the song’s release, I had to point out that those two lines aged horribly. It’s not Drake’s fault and the song is still great, but man, hopefully if he ever makes a “Draft Day 2,” he raps about some guys who end up being really good.