NEW YORK -- Just call him Johnny Baseball. Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 28th round of the Major League Baseball draft Saturday -- the 837th player taken. Manziel was listed as a shortstop for Texas A&M, although he never played for the Aggies as he focused on football. He hasnt played baseball since high school and probably wont see the diamond again as he embarks on his NFL career, but was happy the Padres took a swing at him. "Big thank you to the (at)Padres and (at)padresmikedee for selecting me in the MLB draft," Manziel wrote on his Twitter page. "What a great day!" Mike Dee, the Padres president and CEO, tweeted back: "Best athlete on the board... .JohnnyBaseball." Manziel, the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy in 2012, was taken by the Browns with the 22nd overall pick in the NFL draft last month. "It was kind of, Why not?" Padres general manager Josh Byrnes said Saturday before the Padres hosted the Washington Nationals. In May 2013, Manziel visited the Padres when he was in San Diego to work with a quarterbacks coach. "He certainly loves baseball," Byrnes said. "We kind of talked about it at that time, Do you want us to draft you? He said, Yeah, absolutely." Why in the 28th round? "We really liked our 27th-rounder," Byrnes said. Asked the odds of actually signing Manziel, Byrnes, a big football fan, just smiled. Manziel played baseball and football at Tivy High School in Kerrville, Texas, and asked Texas A&M coaches about being part of the baseball team before winning the Aggies starting quarterback job as a redshirt freshman. Earlier this week, Manziel -- decked out in an Indians jersey -- was set to throw out the first pitch in Cleveland before the Indians played Boston. He warmed up earlier with Indians pitcher Josh Tomlin, but his toss was washed out by rain that delayed the start. But, in May 2013, Manziel took batting practice with the Padres at Petco Park and tossed out a football-style first pitch as he dropped back, scrambled to the side of the mound and floated a bootleg "pass" to San Diego outfielder Mark Kotsay, who caught it behind his back with his glove. On Manziels first swing in batting practice, the bat flew out of his hands, but he settled down and later drove a pitch off the right-field wall. "I didnt know he played baseball," Padres right-hander Ian Kennedy said Saturday. "Anybody in Texas probably plays all those sports, football, baseball." Padres closer Huston Street, who pitched at Texas and whose late father, James, played quarterback for the Longhorns, liked the pick, even if Manziel did play for the Aggies. "Im a fan. I think hes an exciting player," Street said. "I think hes good for sport. I think he plays hard. I dont know if hell ever wear a Padre uniform, but it sure is exciting that the organization took him. I know he hung out here last year a couple times and everybody really enjoyed his presence. Everybody liked him. I came away from that day thinking, Man, thats a good dude, thats a cool guy. It seemed like he was a very focused, mentally strong guy. He wanted to do something. We know what he can do in football. "Heck, if he wants to come out here and hang around before games ... I dont know if they let 28th-round picks do that," Street said. "But hes a great athlete. I dont think anybody expects to see him in the big leagues, but maybe hes going to try and do both. I dont know. If he does, hes one of the more competitive people Ive been around. Well see what happens with his football career. Hes potentially got a baseball one." Street isnt sure if Johnny Football would try both sports. "I would tell him to dont try to be a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none," Street said. "But at the same time, its been done before. I dont know about at the quarterback position. A little bit tougher position." Big-time quarterbacks are no stranger to recent Major League Baseball drafts. John Elway, Dan Marino, Tom Brady, Daunte Culpepper, Colin Kaepernick and Jake Locker were all drafted by big league teams but instead stuck to the gridiron. Russell Wilson of the Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks was a fifth-rounder by Baltimore out of high school in 2007, but opted to go to North Carolina State. He was a fourth-round pick of Colorado in 2010 and played in the Rockies system as a second baseman. Wilson, who had transferred to Wisconsin, told the Rockies in January 2012 that he wanted to pursue an NFL career, and in December 2013 was acquired by the Texas Rangers in the Rule 5 draft. A few weeks after winning the Super Bowl, Wilson attended Rangers spring training and participated in infield drills. Next year, Florida States Jameis Winston could be in the same situation as Manziel. The Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback also is a hard-throwing closer for the Seminoles baseball team. Winston was already a 15th-round pick of the Rangers in 2012. The sons of Cal Ripken Jr. and Mariano Rivera were just a few of the other familiar names selected on the final day of the Major league Baseball draft. The sons of former big leaguers Bobby Bonilla, John Franco, Tom Browning, Benito Santiago and Magglio Ordonez were also taken as baseballs draft wrapped up Saturday after three days, 40 rounds and 1,215 players chosen. Ryan Ripken, a 6-foot-6, 230-pound first baseman from Indian River State College in Florida, was taken in the 15th round by Washington. The lefty-hitting son of baseballs "Iron Man" batted .321 with one homer and 24 RBIs in 42 games this season after transferring from South Carolina, where he did not make the roster and redshirted. "I think theres immense pressure on that young man," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "Its too bad, but I think he handles it really well. You know, dad, uncle, grandfather, great bloodlines, great work ethic." Mariano Rivera III, a starting pitcher at Iona College, went to the Yankees -- his fathers old team -- in the 29th round. He went 2-6 with a 5.40 ERA and five complete games and a team-leading 50 strikeouts in 70 innings for the Gaels. Yankees manager Joe Girardi asked his former closer for a scouting report on his son. "Mo wasnt sure if he got drafted what he would do," Girardi said before the Yankees played the Royals in Kansas City. "But I think its neat he got drafted by the Yankees and well see what happens." It was a big draft for sons and siblings of major league players, starting with Florida high school shortstop Nick Gordon -- son of Tom "Flash" Gordon and brother of the Dodgers Dee Gordon -- going fifth overall to Minnesota on Thursday night. Brandon Bonilla, a left-handed pitcher from Grand Canyon University, went in the 25th round to Baltimore. The son of former All-Star Bobby Bonilla and godson of Barry Bonds has a fastball that hits the mid-90s. Brown second baseman J.J. Franco, the son of former Mets and Reds closer John Franco, was a 38th-round pick by the Braves. Florida high school lefty Logan Browning went in the 36th round to the Reds, the team for which father Tom once pitched a perfect game. Benito Santiago Jr. is a star behind the plate, just like his dad, was drafted in the 38th round by San Francisco. He was a batterymate of first-rounder Touki Toussaint at Floridas Coral Springs Christian Academy. Florida high school first baseman Magglio Ordonez Jr. went in the 38th round to Detroit, where his father played for seven years. Bradley Wilpon, the son of Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon, was a 36th-round choice of Boston. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flaccos younger brother Tom, a high school outfielder from New Jersey, was a 32nd-round selection of Philadelphia. Several other players with big-league bloodlines were drafted Saturday, including: Drew Stankiewicz (son of Andy, 11th round, Phillies); Kevin Cron (brother of Angels C.J., 14th round, Diamondbacks); Lukas Schiraldi (son of Calvin, 15th round, Mariners); Jed Sprague (son of Ed, 37th round, White Sox); James Lynch (son of Ed, 39th round, Blue Jays); and Grayson Byrd (son of Paul, 39th round, Braves). Houston, which had the first overall pick for the third straight year, took California high school lefty Brady Aiken at No. 1 on Thursday night.
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By the time Louis had gone 73 yards to the end zone, Georgias SEC hopes were done, Auburns season was intact, and the college football world was stunned. A jaw-dropping moment, maybe the play of the year, in what has been one of the most stunning turnarounds in college football history. A year ago, Auburn was still basking in the glory of Cam Newton, still basking in the glory of the Tigers first Heisman winner since Bo Jackson, and basking in the glory of the 2010 National Championship. The Tigers finished the 2012 season at 3-9, their first three-win season since 1998. Auburn was 0-8 in the Southeastern Conference, the first team ever to go winless in conference play two years after a national title. Perhaps worst of all, they lost 49-0 to in-state rivals Alabama, the most lopsided Iron Bowl in 64 years. This at a program that is seven-time SEC champs and has a pair of AP national titles, and boasts a .628 winning percentage in 111 years of major college football. Enter Gus Malzahn. Auburn fired head coach Gene Chizik following the disastrous 2012 campaign, only to replace him with the man that led the Tigers offence in 2010. Fresh off what amounted to a learning-on-the-job head coaching gig at Arkansas State - where he led the Red Wolves to a 9-3 record and a Sun Belt title – Auburns former offensive coordinator returned to Jordan-Hare. The unassuming coach immediately cleaned house, remaking the Tigers coaching staff. He handpicked Marshall to handle the offence, a former Georgia defensive back turned junior college transfer. And he changed the attitude in the locker room, telling the Tigers at their first practice together that they would have the biggest turnaround in college football. Now the Tigers lead the SEC in rushing and rank third nationally with more than 320 yards per game. Despite Marshall completing less than 15 passes in seven of his 10 starts, they score almost 40 points per game, ranking 16th in the FBS. They staged a fourth-quarter comeback against then No. 7 Texas A&M, and now the latest miracle against Georgia. A year ago, Auburn was 3-9, last in the SEC West, and scored just 24 touchdowns in 12 games. Fifty weeks later, they have scored 56 touchdowns, sport a 10-1 record, and sit sixth in the BCS standings. Two weeks from now, Auburn will renew their blood feud with Alabama. In a gamme that dates to 1902, its maybe the biggest Iron Bowl of all time.ddddddddddddWin and the Tigers will earn a berth in the SEC championship, and with some luck, maybe even another national title shot. Marshalls Hail Mary against Georgia may have been a miracle. But it was just another miracle in a season full of them down on the plains. Some other notes from around the NCAA: UCLAs Myles Jack rushed for 59 yards and four touchdowns in the Bruins 41-31 win over Washington last Friday. Hes the 13th player in school history to rush for four scores in a game, and first since Maurice Jones-Drew in 2004. This just the week after Jack ran for 120 yards - including a game-winning 66-yard TD – against Arizona. Thing is, the true freshman is a linebacker. He had eight tackles and a forced fumble against the Wildcats, and five tackles against the Huskies. The Washington state native played both ways in high school, and was forced into action as a tailback because of mounting injuries in the UCLA backfield. But his emergence could mean head coach Jim Mora will continue to use him sparingly on offence. Playing both ways next season, Jack has a chance to become the first primarily defensive player to win the Heisman since Charles Woodson in 1997. Despite a vote of confidence last week from both Floridas athletic director and school president, Gators head coach Will Muschamp should be worried about his job. Florida has lost five straight games, their longest skid since 1979. At 4-6, they should miss a bowl game for the first time since 1990. 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