Texans' Bob McNair envisions Clowney-Watt tandemBy Jeff Reynolds | NFLDraftScout.comJanuary 14, 2014 1:55 pm ET http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp8I_jsbjNM Bob McNair is foremost the owner of the Houston Texans, the franchise that holds the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft after ending last season with 14 consecutive losses.But McNair is also a proud alumnus of the University of South Carolina, and thusly he paid pretty close attention to junior defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, the No. 2 overall prospect eligible for the May draft according to NFLDraftScout.com.So while the Texans deliberate for the next four months how to invest the top pick in the draft -- a process that involves general manager Rick Smith and new head coach Bill O'Brien -- the owner let it be known he appreciates Clowney's rare athleticism."He's one of these players who's a once-in-every-10 years kind of physical specimen that comes along," McNair said, before comparing Clowney to the team's last No. 1 pick in 2006. "Mario Williams was that way. I think Clowney is actually a better athlete than Mario."One disclaimer: McNair is also a businessman, and he said at O'Brien's introductory press conference last week that the franchise will consider trade offers for the No. 1 pick. NFLDraftScout.com projects the Texans to take one of the top quarterbacks available -- Central Florida's Blake Bortles or Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater.Clowney made plenty of highlight reels, notably for demolishing Michigan running back Vincent Smith in the 2012 Outback Bowl. He is also being dinged by scouts who question his desire and whether he is playing football for the love of the game or the fame and fortune.McNair seems to be thinking ahead of the game on the concept of Clowney becoming a professional. "Like many of these players that have great physical attributes, they didn't have to work as hard in junior high school and high school and in college to be a superlative athlete because they have this natural ability," McNair said. "He's not a J.J. Watt. J.J. didn't have that natural ability. He worked. He developed his. I said, 'J.J., I don't know what will happen, but if we get Clowney, we want you to instill in him the same kind of work habits that you have.' He said, 'If he's in the same room with me, then he'll have them."
Smokescreen. They need a QB.
Someone tell the Texans it's a tad early to be sending up smokescreens...especially smokescreens no one is going to believe.
I would believe this. There is absolutely no reason for them to throw out a smokescreen, unless they are actually trying to entice someone to trade up for Clowney. Clowney is the BPA no doubt.Clowney would be awesome for them and Case Keenum actually played pretty good for a stretch there. The other thing to consider is that they have the no.33 overall pick as well and they could be eyeing a 2nd round QB. Schaub may get a shot with the new HC as well. Their offense last year was really old and stale. If you watched enough games you knew exactly what plays they were going to run out of the same formations they always do. The problem is that the coach is going to want Bortles. No doubt about it. But if Houston stays put and takes Clowney it is going to get very interesting to see who wants to move up to no.2. Cleveland is he obvious choice because of their two second round picks and two third round picks and no. 26 overall on top of no.4 overall. If I was the Rams and want Watkins, Mathews or Robinson you could trade back to no.4 and still get any of them easily. That would be fitting for the Browns to squander their draft picks and draft Manziel. It could happen.
How easy would it be for them to dump Schaub?
They pick 1st overall ....what would they need to smokescreen for ? So another team doesn't trade in front of them and get the guy they really want ? LOL.Only reason I can see is if they want to trade out , in which case why aren't they pretending to like the player everyone else wants - Bridgewater. No one is trading up to #1 for Clowney or Bortles.
They pick 1st overall ....what would they need to smokescreen for ? So another team doesn't trade in front of them and get the guy they really want ? LOL.Only reason I can see is if they want to trade out , in which case why aren't they pretending to like the player everyone else wants - Bridgewater. No one is trading up to #1 for Clowney or Bortles.
I had the same initial thought, but then it ocurred to me that with the 33rd pick (equivalent to a late first rounder), whatever they do with pick #1 could potentially help other teams narrow their (texans) plans for #33. Thus it can make sense to raise smokescreens even if u are frst overall. Then again it could just be plain old fashioned overthinking
JJ Watt had one of the best Combines for a big guy ever. To say that he's not a natural athlete is disingenuous.
Clowney will get busted, somewhere in the Deep South, going 100+ mph and possession of marijuana. Same as Spence. Stay far away.
I think it will come down to the owner wanting Clowney and O'Brien wanting a QB (probably Bortles). The coach will probably win that one.
If they are smart they take Clowney. This is a deep QB draft and Schaub isn't as broken as people think.
Sucks for us because clowney is the player we need hands down we must generate a pass rush
The smokescreen is in getting another team to trade up for Clowney when they really have no intention of selecting him. Say Houston fully intends to select a QB, but don't have much difference in rating between Bridgewater, Manziel, Carr, Bortles. A team that REALLY wants Clowney (Atlanta, Tampa) would then try to trade up with Houston, instead of trying to trade up with St. Louis. The smokescreen is in building value for the pick. Obviously no one is trading ahead of them.
Convince a team that might want to trade up to #1 that the Texans really have someone locked in, and thus the cost to trade will be that much higher.
I don't buy any of the smokescreen talk. Don't tell me Houston doesn't want or need a guy like Clowney. Rick Smith would be wise to select him.
