The Houston Texans man of the hour for the 2014 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall was 6-foot-5, 266-pound South Carolina defensive end, Jadeveon Clowney, and not the popular Aggie and 2012 Heisman Trophy winner, Johnny Manziel, as many had speculated.
Clowney, the NFL No. 1., top pick will be wearing the Houston Texans # 90 jersey, and will be joining Texans’ powerhouse J.J. Watt, the NFL 2012 Defensive and Pro Bowler for what could be one of the most authoritative defensive lines in the league.
The 21-year-old Clowney is fast and forceful and during the NFL Combine showcased his ability and speed by running a 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds out shining many of the running backs.
Texans Coach Bill O’Brien is known for favoring good sized athletic guys who welcome discipline and have positive winning attitudes. He spoke at a post draft press conference and said that Clowney loves winning and that winning is important to him.
“These are the type of guys that we are looking for, we’re looking for guys that are going to come in here and understand that they are part of a team and they’re coming here to work hard,” said O’Brien.
Clowney said to be the number 1 pick is the greatest feeling in the world and he is going to do everything to help the Texans’ program. “I’m feeling overwhelmed. I’m feeling great right now. It’s a blessing man. I appreciated it. I’m just glad to be a part of the Texans team,” Clowney said.
Coach O’Brien and crew have some work to do since the Texans 2013 season was the worst in the league with a 14-game losing streak. O’Brien is the Texans third head coach. The Texans has great hope that he will be the charm to take the Texans to the Super Bowl considering how O’Brien turned Penn State around in a year after the Jerry Sandusky scandal.
The Texans will likely employ a similar system to what the New England Patriots ran under O’Brien in 2011 and what O’Brien ran a Penn State. It’s a fast, aggressive offense that makes use of multiple quarterbacks. Round 4 of the 2014 Draft the Texans scooped-up Pittsburgh senior quarterback, Tom Savage. He stands at 6’4 and brings 235lbs of good sized arms and solid mechanics. He will join Texans quarterbacks Case Keenum, T.J. Yates and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Defensively, the Texans play a 3-4 under new defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel. Clowney will play outside linebacker in the base defense and will use his tremendous pass- rush skills on obvious passing situations.
Johnny Manziel will take his talents to the Cleveland Browns who drafted him with the 22nd overall selection. Cleveland Browns quarterback coach Jimmy Haslam revealed that Manziel sent him a text during the draft urging for the Browns to draft him.
According to Haslam the text read: I wish you guys would come get me. Hurry up and draft me because I want to be there. I want to wreck this league together.”