BEREA, Ohio -- Johnny Manziel won't be able to make good on his promise Sunday to make the Texans pay for not drafting him No. 1 overall, but he's still got revenge on his mind for them and the 20 other teams that passed on him.

"Obviously, I have a chip on my shoulder for any team that passed me, not just the Texans,'' he said. "I think when my time comes, and I have a chance to play and show what I'm made of in this league, hopefully, I do make some people regret not taking me.''

In an interview with the Houston Chronicle in February, Manziel said if the Texans pass on him "It would be the worst decision they've ever made.'' He also said, "They're a team I've watched every year since I was a kid. I want to be the No. 1 pick. It's something I've dreamed about. With the pieces they already have in place, I could fit in. I'm a Texas kid. The state means a lot to me."

On Friday, Manziel said the Texans led him to believe he was a strong candidate for their top pick. Instead, they selected South Carolina outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, who will play Sunday but has been plagued by injuries. Manziel, meanwhile, slipped to No. 22 overall.

"From what I was told, that's how it was, so I mean, that's all I can take is what they told me,'' he said. "It's not really my duty to sort out if that's truthful or not, but from what I was told, I was in the top range of picks that they were looking at and considering at the top spot. Obviously, it didn't go that way, but that's just what I was told.''

If the Texans had gone for Manziel, he could be starting for them this week. Coach Bill O'Brien benched starter Ryan Fitzpatrick and turned the team over to Ryan Mallett, who will make his first career start Sunday in Cleveland. Manziel, meanwhile, is stuck behind Brian Hoyer, who's gone 9-3 for the Browns.

"It could've been (me starting for Houston), but at the same time, you're looking at the big picture like that and saying that there's a lot of couldas, shouldas, wouldas in that equation,'' said Manziel. "For me, I don't really like to look back at that and kind of go with the flow and continue to go with what my life has presented me, and that's being here in Cleveland, which I love.''

Manziel said that although he would've loved to play for the Texans, he wasn't wed to one team.

"I had a good relationship with their general manager (Rick Smith) and got an opportunity to be looked at there and potentially be their draft pick,'' he said. "Obviously, it didn't go that way.

"I'm here, and I'm very happy about that, but for me, coming from Texas, having those Texas roots, and one of the two teams that are in Texas having the possibility of potentially needing a quarterback, having the first pick in the draft, it was obviously something that was intriguing to me and stuck out to me.

"At the same time, I never had my heart set on any one team or really felt like I wanted to go anywhere. I wanted to go where I was wanted and wherever that ended up in the draft, I was going to be okay with that.''

He said he doesn't think about the draft-day snub as much anymore.

"No. I don't have any regrets looking back at the draft and where I went, and how things went throughout that process,'' he said. "I thought I did what I needed to do to try to put myself in the best position to go as high as possible, and this is where I ended up, and I'm very happy about it.''

He acknowledged that the Tom Brady Backup Bowl unfolding Sunday at FirstEnergy Stadium is an inspiration to him. Hoyer and Mallett both sat behind Brady and waited a long time to get their chance.

"Each situation is different, and mine is what it is right now,'' he said. "Hopefully, it turns out to be something one day.''

O'Brien said this week that Clowney was the best decision for the Texans, but "we really enjoyed studying Johnny. We met Johnny. I think I met Johnny three times. He's an outstanding young man, just a hell of a football player in college. He's in a good spot. He'll get his chance at some point in time. Whenever it is I'm sure he'll be ready."

Especially for the Texans, if he gets the chance.