2014 NFL Draft: Houston Texans Select Jadeveon Clowney First Overall

With the first pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans have selected DE Jadeveon Clowney out of South Carolina.

Measurables: 6’6”, 266 lbs, 34 ½” arm length, 10” hands

Position: Defensive End

Jadeveon Clowney lived up to the hype surrounding his arrival to the University of South Carolina in 2011 as USA Today’s 2010 National Defensive Player of the Year and South Carolina’s “Mr. Football”. Clowney was the SEC’s Freshman of the Year in 2011, and followed that up by garnering the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award in 2012 after recording 54 tackles (23.5 for a loss) and 13 sacks in 13 starts.

Clowney was hampered by a foot injury in 2013, limiting him to just 11 games. He still posted 40 tackles (11.5 for a loss), three sacks, four passes defensed, and one forced fumble in those contests. His 37.5-inch vertical leap and 4.53 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine helped him grade out at a 7.5 – projecting him as a future All-Pro.

Clowney has the arm length and large hands of an NFL defensive end, along with the athleticism and raw power to be something extraordinary. His toughness is well-documented, and at South Carolina he fought through multiple injuries without complaint. Clowney can disrupt any blocking scheme with his speed, and creates explosive power on first contact and follow-through. Clowney has a quarterback’s field vision, processing a wealth of information quickly and acting without hesitation.

Check out Clowney's highlight video for a closer look at what he brings to the Texans:

[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca37xiWINMI[/embed]

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