[ESPN] Who will go number 1: Bridgewater vs. Clowney

He was speeding. Not committing murder.

 

He could cause a death with his reckless driving..

 

It still shows a huge case of immaturiry, which is something that is pretty valued in a number one pick. With so much on the line, kid is a moron to be driving like that. This, questioned with his lack of a motor at times (see what I did?), raises a huge flag. If this franchise were to pick this kid over a qb, it would be really idiotic. Especially after the Montgomery thing.

 

He's 20 years old, brux. Probably feels invincible. Might even be a decent trait for a pass rusher to have. Redick got a DUI, didn't really phase anybody. I don't think a speeding ticket or 5 is going to change any GM's ranking of Clowney. If you can play you can play.

 

There's probably a decent chance that that was taken completely out of context. The smear campaign is in full force.

 

I think I like Barr over Clowney regardless of any off-field Shenanigans. Barr is a terror coming off the edge.

I also really like Brett Hundley from UCLA. He will likely stay, but if the Texans somehow trade down, would love to see Barr and Hundley picked.

Pure conjecture

 

Interesting that Manziel isn't getting any run. I know he's small, but he definitely won't be playing for a paycheck.

He's enjoyed wealth throughout his life. He's dominated at all levels due to a fiery passion and unorthodox talent.

 

I think fame and fortune is pretty important to Manziel.

Not saying it's a bad thing, but he obviously cares about his brand.

 

Houston Texans: Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
I wrote this in my NFL Power Rankings a couple of weeks ago regarding the No. 1 pick: Mel Kiper appeared on Sunday NFL Countdown and said that the No. 1 overall pick will come down to three players: Jadeveon Clowney, Anthony Barr and Jake Matthews. If the 2014 NFL Draft were held today, Clowney would probably be the pick. But this reminds me of the 2011 NFL Draft. Both Kiper and Todd McShay thought a defensive lineman would be the top choice (Kiper said Nick Fairley, while McShay suggested Da'Quan Bowers), yet the Panthers ultimately fell in love with Cam Newton.

The same thing will probably happen to the Texans unless they sign/trade for Jay Cutler. Houston will have five months to become smitten with Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles, Brett Hundley or Johnny Manziel. One of those signal-callers will probably be the No. 1 pick.

Given how important the quarterback position is, Teddy Bridgewater or another signal-caller will the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, barring an acquisition of Cutler, or something like that. There's really no discussion. Clowney, Barr and Matthews wouldn't get Houston's franchise back into the playoffs. A franchise quarterback would. The Texans will talk themselves into drafting one of them.

By the way, I'm doing this live because I thought it'd be fun to get instant feedback. I'm going to post my mock anyway, so why not do it this way? Follow @walterfootball for updates.

http://walterfootball.com/draft2014.php

 

Clowney will prove irresistible early

Jadeveon Clowney would have been the No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft. That's not really a question. And while he's no lock to go No. 1 in the 2014 NFL draft, I wouldn't read too much into the questions of whether he was productive enough this season as the cause.

So what will teams get with Clowney, and where does he fit?

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

-Production and the draft: Dion Jordan had a total of 5.0 sacks in 2012, and went No. 3 in the draft. In fact, Miami traded up to get him and his pass-rushing potential. Ezekiel Ansah had 4.5 sacks in 2012 at BYU, and even as an older player, was drafted No. 5 overall by Detroit. A pick later, the Browns took Barkevious Mingo coming off a 4.5-sack season. It wasn't about stats, it was about traits. If you have the talent to be a great NFL pass-rusher you'll go high regardless of your impact on the box score. The NFL is a developmental league, too, and teams draft for talent first.

-Don't knock the effort: Watching Clowney this season, I never saw a player dogging it, or being too protective of himself, staying away from contact, or anything like that. But could you blame him? He was worth many millions last spring and was essentially forced to return to play for another season. Anybody questioning his competitive integrity should remember he'd still be a first-round pick even if he'd sat out the whole season.

-Sack totals can lie: Anybody who watched South Carolina this year knows how cognizant offenses were of Clowney. He simply changed the way offenses approached the game plan. And while he came into the Capitol One Bowl with just 3.0 sacks, he has piled up 46 tackles for loss and 24 sacks in his career, and he's still going to get better. Sacks are an indicator, but if teams are determined to keep you from sacking the QB, and it happens every week, the numbers are going to be skewed.

The skill set

Clowney is the total package. He'll measure at 6-foot-5 and between 260 and 270 pounds at the NFL combine in February, with a balance of great upper- and lower-body strength. He has unusual quickness and change-of-direction skills for a man of his size, and his quickness and ability to convert speed to power alone can put an offensive tackle in a difficult position.

But he's not just quick. Clowney marries the quick-twitch athleticism to strength, flexibility, good recognition skills and strong hands. He avoids blocks with quickness about as well as any player in recent years, with the one problem being that his speed can get him out of position. However, that speed allows him to pursue the play down the line and all over the field. He's very good versus the run, both in finding the ball and in not giving ground to blockers. He really doesn't need to come off the field.

The fits

While any defense can use a player like this -- Clowney played with his hand on the ground at South Carolina, but could stand up and be a pass-rushing or edge-setting 3-4 OLB -- I think he's best as a 4-3 defensive end. I don't think he'll last outside the top 4-5 picks, even though most of those teams need a quarterback.

Potential fits

Houston: The system Houston ran in 2013 isn't an ideal fit, and the presence of J.J. Watt means they aren't lacking a pass-rusher. But there's also a new coach in town, and if the Texans don't see a QB they feel can be the future of the franchise, they could go instead with Clowney's ceiling.

St. Louis: The system is a fit, and the thought of Clowney on the same field with Robert Quinn is a pretty terrifying one for opposing offenses. But given the presence of Quinn and Chris Long, Clowney doesn't represent a major need for the Rams. Does somebody trade into the spot to get him?

Jacksonville: The Jags could certainly use a pass-rusher. It's been a problem area for the team for years. If they're able to address the QB situation via a trade or free agency, or are content to draft another QB down the board, Clowney is a great fit. I just don't know if the Jags can pass on a QB they really like if one is available.

Cleveland: They took Mingo at No. 6 last year. They could certainly use another pass-rusher, but the system will matter, and we don't know yet what the coaching staff will look like.

Oakland: The Raiders are in desperate need of talent on defense. Clowney certainly represents help.

After that, the next three teams are all fits. Atlanta could certainly use him, as could the Bucs and Vikings. He's not a lock to go at No. 1, but a player with this kind of talent won't have to wait long to hear his name called in May.​

 

Yea but none of the quarterbacks in this draft were on the same level as Cam. Big difference. The Texans may fall in love with Barr by the time draft day rolls around.

 

And he has 2 sacks this year for the Dolphins. That's a bad example if you're trying to prove that lack of producing in college doesn't mean lack of production in the pros.

 

I'd put Bridgewater on that level. The thing about Cam is that he got a lot of attention because Auburn went undefeated and won the BCS Championship. He also made a bunch of plays with his legs, having nearly as many rushing attempts as pass attempts. But as a passer, Bridgewater has been every bit as productive, if not more than Can, even adjusting for level of competition.

 

Cam is like 6-6 250 and has a cannon for a arm. Guys are scared to hit QBs like Cam (and Big Ben) hard when he takes off and run. And that level of competition means alot. And going undefeated on his back in the SEC is a big deal. David Carr faced competition like Bridgewater faced and looked good doing it as well. Steve McNair played against weak competition but his size and athletic ability was like Cams.

 

Bridgewater will be a mistake. He will have a learning curve. and if he doesn't make the playoffs and set the league on fire the same people calling for bridgewater will be calling for whatever qb espn tells them to next season. Got to be Clowney he's the most talented player in this draft by far.

 

Clowney is the only player I consider a better prospect than Bridgewater. He makes Mario Williams look like a boy. The issue is that QB is the most important position on the field and Clowney would have to be a lot better prospect to be taken and he isn't. And that's not even taking his character into account. Bridgewater is the smart choice for my buck.

 

Just draft the best player on your board, regardless of position is what I feel we should do.

 

Bridgewater is a better decision maker. He is a solid person, and you won't find him resting on his laurels like Clowney has done this season. Teddy's upbringing won't allow him to do that.

 

David Carr had a better up bringing and possibly was a better decision maker than Peppers and how did that work out for the Texans....?