Report: Manziel 'believed to be the No. 1 player' on Cowboys' board?

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:59 p.m. ET

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The Johnny Manziel-to-the-Dallas Cowboys rumors continue to fly.

ESPN draft guru Todd McShay had Manziel going to the Cowboys at 16 in his Thursday morning mock, a drastic change from his previous five projections.

McShay had been set on the Cowboys addressing their glaring needs on defense. Notre Dame defensive tackle Stephon Tuitt, Alabama safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Florida State defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan and Louisville safety Calvin Pryor have been his previous choices for Dallas.

So why switch to Manziel now? Maybe stir up a little extra attention hours before the big event?

"We've had more than one person in the league tell us that Manziel is believed to be the No. 1 player on the Cowboys' board," McShay wrote, "and it wouldn't surprise us if they took him here if he's still available."

When the possibility of Dallas drafting Manziel was discussed Tuesday during a pre-draft press conference at Valley Ranch, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett fought to hold back laughter. Team owner and GM Jerry Jones never said he absolutely wouldn't draft Manziel; however, he expressed that the state of the quarterback position is not close to being one of his top concerns.

"It is not our primary goal in the first round to be looking at a quarterback," Jones said. "We've got a good one."

Yes, Tony Romo turned 34 last month and he's coming off another back surgery, but the Cowboys can't seriously address the quarterback position with all those needs on defense, can they?

We'll find out tonight.