My thoughts too. He'll be there in a mid to late round allowing the Texans to go after other needs in the early rounds.
We don't advance anywhere for the next decade without getting to Andrew Luck. Seattle made a good case for Clowney.
I posted in the JJ Watt thread a quote from Sherman about Thomas III, Chancellor, and himself. Per Sherman they are major students of the game, constantly studying individually and as a unit. They eat, sleep, breathe football. Clowney doesn't strike me as that type (taking the year off) and I think in today's NFL you need the thinking side of the game. Pure athletes without the nfl classroom work doesn't work anymore. NFL game is way too complicated now.
I think what Seattle taught us is that you play the cards you're dealt... you never reach. They've needed a QB but they never reached for one. They recognized that a true franchise caliber QB never fell in their lap so they never reached. They took in projects. Clemons, Jackson, Flynn... biding time as they filled holes with BPA and good scouting. It doesn't matter how important QB is. You cant reach. Never reach... If Bridgewater is not that guy... I hope to God we do not reach. I think the Rams are licking their chops right now. I think they grab Clowney if they don't trade down. Clowney and Quinn. Get ready to bend over.
I disagree. Today's NFL is full of screens and the short passing game. Also the read option for some teams.
The Seahawks reached big on Flynn as the answer to their QB dilemma. But the Seahawks were extremely lucky with having Wilson pan out the way he has. Pete Carroll mentions that the teams success has to do with Russell Wilson giving them a chance. He is smart, knowledgeable and clutch when he needs to be. The Texans are gonna have a real issue on their hands. On one hand they could trade down and try acquiring more picks(unlikely, bc there are really no suitors). Or draft a QB and pray that he pans out in 3 years. My Take: If the Texans have players that are entering their prime defensively, it would make sense to set a framework around such players. Having a physically gifted player like Clowney could yield immediate and positive impacts for a defense that was realy not that bad(considering that their offense kept screwing them over, no manning, no cushing, no real depth with the LBs...) This team is much closer on the defensive side of the ball to being excellent. If the Texans can have that elite defense, the AFC south becomes easier to win. That should be the goal(reclaiming the AFC).
Mostly the responsibility of the LBs in a 4-3, or the ILB in the 3-4. Clowney will be asked to get to the QB on every single down possible. Not much thinking required as is of your MLB's and safeties.
Between Bridge and Manziel, I'd go with the guy who has the best combine, assuming Johnny Football doesn't measure out to be a Hobbit. If not a QB, Clowney. Bridge, Bortles, Manziel, Clowney are all reaches, but there is a star there in that list, and Uncle Bob's newly minted HC better identify him, draft him, and develop him.
Big reach? They washed their hands of it all then grabbed Harvin & Avril. Not exactly a reach when there's no risk. Did they put all their eggs in 1 basket? Don't think so... Wilson was taken pretty damn high the same year they grabbed Flynn. They never intended on giving Flynn the keys to the car, no-questions-asked, they're smarter than that. They paid market value for a project, a project they never resigned their fate to. They always carried a handful of QB projects hoping something might pan out. Smart way to play things when you're not handed a rare commodity like Andrew Luck.
Seattle winning doesn't do much for my choice of the top pick. They are as good as they are not because they make great first round picks, it's the later rounds and UDFAs that get you where Seattle is. You have to take your hats off to that front office, they are ridiculously stacked.
HAHAHA!! I remember McNair saying the exact same thing about Peyton Manning after drafting Mario Williams. How did that turn out? #knowyourhistory
I think folks are ignoring how well Wilson played. He made the big passes, he avoided the DEN rush, he picked up yards on his own. He made big 3rd down conversions. Heck, what was his QB rating? Sure, the defense shut down Manning, and we don't have any defensive back or LB that comes close to what SEA has. But we also don't have a QB that comes close to what Wilson did last night. I still say the time o get that QB is right in front of us...
And if Russell was in this draft, he probably wouldn't be the top ranked QB or considered a 1st round prospect. Watching Russell just makes me "kinda" hope they give Case another chance with a healthy team around him and a coaching staff that knows what they are doing.