CLEVELAND — Second on Cleveland’s depth chart, Johnny Manziel already tops one NFL list.
The popular rookie quarterback, who will begin his first training camp this week as a backup, had the league’s top-selling jersey since April 1. The league said Monday that Manziel’s No. 2 outsold all others from April 1 to July 17 on NFLShop.com.
Dick’s Sporting Goods also said that Manziel’s jersey is its top seller.
Manziel is followed on the NFLShop.com list by three quarterbacks: Seattle’s Russell Wilson, San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick and Denver’s Peyton Manning. Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman is fifth followed by St. Louis rookie Michael Sam, the league’s first openly gay player.
New England’s Tom Brady is seventh and New Orleans QB Drew Brees is eighth on the list. Minnesota rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is 13th and Houston defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, the top overall pick, had the 16th best-selling jersey.
The league did not say how many Manziel jerseys — priced at $99.95 a pop — sold during the period. More than a few seemed to have been purchased in the Cleveland area, where brown or white Manziel jerseys can be found all over the city.
The Browns drafted the former Texas A&M star, who earned his Johnny Football nickname with his playmaking ability, with the No. 22 overall pick on May 8. He’s scheduled to report to training camp on Wednesday and will battle with Brian Hoyer to be Cleveland’s starter.
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