There will be no secrets when Tony Jerod-Eddie lines up across from Cleveland Browns starting quarterback Johnny Manziel on Sunday.
The San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman crossed paths with the signal-caller at Texas A&M in 2011 – Jerod-Eddie was a senior while Manziel was a red-shirt freshman. Manziel served as the Aggies scout-team quarterback that season which meant the 49ers defensive lineman chased him around every day at practice.
Manziel and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans highlighted the talented scout-team offense.
"They would give us fits," Jerod-Eddie joked.
It is well-documented that "Johnny Football" excels at using his legs to extend plays. The 49ers defense, including Jerod-Eddie, knows they have to be sound in their gap assignments in Week 14.
"Everybody has to maintain their rushing lanes," Jerod-Eddie said. "We can't get on top of them and give him seams, because he'll take it and take off and run. He's really good at making plays down the field or with his feet."
Manziel is 1-2 in three starts this season and has appeared in six total games. On the season, the quarterback has thrown for 933 yards and five touchdowns with just two interceptions. Manziel does have five fumbles this year.
The second-year quarterback was benched a few weeks ago for off-the-field reasons, but has since returned to the starting lineup following a season-ending collarbone injury to Josh McCown and an ineffective Week 13 start from Austin Davis.
Jerod-Eddie declined to comment on Manziel's headlines away from football but did call him "a great quarterback."
"Johnny is a friend to me," Jerod-Eddie said. "I consider him a brother."
When the 49ers face Cleveland's 2014 first-round pick on Sunday, they'll look for their second consecutive road victory.
Last week in Chicago, San Francisco's defense held the Bears to 20 points and contained Jay Cutler to just 202 yards passing, no touchdowns and one pick-six. Jerod-Eddie said that the entire defense made it a point of emphasis to improve away from Levi's® Stadium, and they are looking to build on its Week 13 performance.
"It was pretty embarrassing that we were one team at home and when we went on the road, we were almost a completely different team," Jerod-Eddie said. "We talked about it as a group and said to each other that we were going to do something about it.
