It was no surprise that Johnny Manziel's jersey is the top-selling rookie jersey since he is a highly visible, former Heisman award winning QB, and also was the entire focus by the sports media of the first day in the draft which garnered huge ratings. However, unforeseen by everyone would be that a seventh round draft pick would have the number two selling rookie jersey right behind Manziel and ahead of Jadeveon Clowney.
By Friday at 5 p.m., some 20 hours after the Browns traded up to No. 22 to take quarterback Johnny Manziel, the team's ticket office sold more than 2,300 season tickets. So it's no surprise that he also has the league's top-selling rookie jersey, according to the NFL (viaOutsports.com).
Second behind Johnny Football: Michael Sam (7th round, 249 overall), the NFL's first openly gay player. He's followed by defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (first round, first overall), and quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater (first round, 32nd overall) and Blake Bortles (first round, third overall).
"This is unprecedented for a Day 3 pick, let alone a seventh round pick, to crack the top five rookies sold following Draft weekend," NFL spokesperson Joanna Hunter said.
More amazing: Sam's jersey didn't go on sale until Saturday night while jerseys for Manziel, Clowney, Bridgewater and Bortles were all available Thursday when they were drafted six rounds earlier.
Not only isn't America rejecting Sam as a gay man in sports, but they are embracing him.
