If Texans Select Jadaveon Clowney With The Top Pick, They'll Expect J.J. Watt To Mentor Him To Success
ByTexans owner Bob McNair called Jadaveon Clowney a "once in every ten years kind of physical specimen" and "a better athlete than Mario," as in former Texans #1 overall pick and All Pro defensive end, Mario Williams, in ESPN's article on Jan. 14. That kind of talk would seem like prelude to a number one selection, even as the team has spoken openly of trading the pick or drafting a quarterback, but let's analyze McNair's a little more closely. Notice how he only specifically refers to Clowney's physicality and nothing more, not even his skill as a football player. All of sudden, the South Carolina defensive end sounds like a reach at the top spot.
Later in the article, McNair openly admits his character concerns by comparing Clowney to current Texans end J.J. Watt.
"Like many of these players that have great physical attributes, they didn't have to work as hard in junior high school and high school and in college to be a superlative athlete because they have this natural ability," McNair said. "[Clowney is] not a J.J. Watt. J.J. didn't have that natural ability. He worked, he developed his. I said, 'J.J., I don't know what will happen, but if we get Clowney, we want you to instill in him the same kind of work habits that you have.' He said, 'If he's in the same room with me, then he'll have them.'"
Perhaps it will be Watt's presence and not McNair's admiration for Clowney's physical gifts that will be his best chance at the top pick. The one criticism against that logic was the Texan's defense this season, ranked 8th last in scoring defense (but a little better in yards/game). Most likely, Watt didn't have the personnel to impose his will on an entire defense and few players, if any, possess that ability. If he does, however, own the type of mentoring skills he claims he does, he and Clowney could form a huge and intriguing defensive end combination.