NFL Scouts think Teddy Bridgewater could challenge Clowney for 1st overall pick in 2014?

The difference is Clowney came into the season as the consensus #1 pick for next year with little to prove regarding his NFL stock. This isn't true of Manziel (especially) and others. Plus Clowney saw teammate Marcus Lattimore get his knee blown up and that may have affected him.

Clowney had issues his freshman year, seemed to get it together most of last year and is reverting back this season. He's too gifted to fall very far in the draft.

 

Clowney is taking a business approach towards the game. His stock peaked and he has little no nothing to gain from playing at the college level. He could only lose value by playing. Lose money.

As an intelligent human being I cannot fault him for that. He watched his buddy Marcus Lattimore lose millions to a freak injury.

I've seen an elite defensive end sit out a game in a free agency year as precaution. I forget which player it was, I think he played for the Eagles. As a fan/owner/coach it sucks but again, I cant blame the player.

I just need my pass rusher to get to the QB, I don't need him to set an example for anybody. Von Miller and Aldson Smith have MORE baggage than Clowney right now, I'd take those guys over Manziel in a heartbeat. Although I'd like to have a psychiatrist take a look at Aldon first.

 

You thinking of John Abraham when he was with the Jets?

 

I don't think so. It's possible. This was 3-5 years ago. I feel like it was Kearse. If anything I'm surprised it doesn't happen more. The player's agent said not to risk it. It's easy to get mad about as a fan or teammate, but if you have millions of dollars on the line it's simply the logical thing to do. I've seen RG3 and Dennis Dixon go onto the field with their ACL's hanging on by a thread, only for the worst to happen. There's too much at stake to just play football with no questions asked.

 

Sure - so did guys like Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning. But you didn't see them debating whether to play or not, or half-assing it when they did play. If he doesn't want to play, just say that and walk away instead of playing these injury games.

 

Then he should just quit the team and walk away, instead of screwing over his team and their preparation and leaving his teammates out to dry.

 

... and they were both consensus #1 picks going into their final season in college, which is the only relevance here to the Clowney discussion.

 

Yes, but he wasn't a surefire #1 overall pick going into his final season in college, which is what this whole discussion revolves around. Alex Smith wasn't even a sure #1 pick going into the weeks before the draft. Alex Smith didn't have the luxury of deciding whether to play or not his final season - he has nothing to do with this topic.

 

You are comparing Alex Smith to Andrew Luck? Have you never seen the Colts play? How can you argue that Andrew Luck is not a great quarterback? Absurd.

 

I remember DJax not exactly playing his heart out for the Eagles in his contract year. It clearly affected his play.

 

For whatever reasons, both Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck stayed 4 years in college when they could have left after 3. For them, it wasn't a matter of getting to the NFL ASAP. That is a very unique thing for top 5 picks. Suffice to say Clowney has a different take which is shared by most college athletes ranked at his level.

I'm not excusing Clowney, but I think Lattimore's injury may have affected him. It cast a pall over the whole program. People openly discussed whether Clowney should even play his senior year to avoid the risk of what happened to Lattimore.

 

Fine - forget about Manning or Luck. Pick any other player that was a sure-fire top pick in their sport. None of them just take their final year off. Lebron didn't sit his final year in High School. None of your college one-and-done NBA players just sit or don't play hard during their freshman year. No other college player just takes it easy their draft year.

That's fine and all - if he wanted to go that route, he should have just dropped out entirely. But to do this sort of "I might play here and there and decide for myself" or half-ass his play when he does is ridiculous. South Carolina's defense is giving up an average of 1 more yard per play when Clowney is on the field than when he isn't. He's not helping the team and is just being a huge distraction - we all saw it from Spurrier's post-game comments.

 

That's your opinion. He's only what, 20? I wouldn't define a man by his actions at 20. And he's using the facilities, attending class, milking SC for all he can. Cant argue with that. Game the system then become a millionaire. Millions? Or worry about teammates? Hmm....

 

A lot of people here saying things like "I've watched Clowney plenty, and he never looked special," just don't have a clue what they're talking about.

While I agree that he's made some decisions that put his consensus #1 pick in jeopardy, there's no arguing that Clowney is a physical specimen. Coming out of high school, he was physically capable of playing in the NFL(Though clearly he lacked the technique to do so). At 6"5", 245lbs, and running a 4.6 40 during his senior year in highschool, he wasn't just special. He was once in a generation.

The fact is, he possess raw physical talent that is coveted. Prior to this season, there was never a question about motor. He didn't have a reputation for taking plays off like Mario Williams did, he wasn't a one-year wonder, etc. Clowney is a rare DE prospect with the physical tools that leave any coach drooling over the possibilities.

Though, as I said in my previous post, the top QB in any draft these days will push for the #1 pick whether he's exceptional like Luck/Winston, or simply better than the rest like Bridgewater.

 

Only a fool would compare Andrew Luck and Alex Smith. Clearly you don't understand the quarterback position. Alex Smith is Captain Checkdown and nothing more than a game manager. Luck is FAR ahead of him and it's only his 2nd year.

 

This was overly rude. I apologize. Shouldn't have said "fool".


But...Alex Smith and Andrew Luck? For real?