Jadeveon Clowney expected to go No. 1?
Jadeveon Clowney speaks to the media in a press conference during the 2014 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
The Houston Texans are now fully expected to stay put at No. 1 after trying to trade the pick for what was reportedly a king’s ransom that potential buyers like the Atlanta Falcons balked on. Adam Schefter’s report that the Texans are staying put answers some questions, but it still leaves critical ones left to speculation. Most namely, who in the heck will the Texans take at No. 1?
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Bleacher Report’s plugged-in Matt Miller saw Schefter’s report and added his own nugget in reply to it. Per Miller, the expectation is that the Texans will take South Carolina Gamecocks star pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney with the first overall pick, and this wouldn’t be a surprising choice to anybody. There’s plenty of smoke that the Texans could view Khalil Mack as a better prospect and better fit than Clowney, but Clowney has been the consensus No. 1 guy for quite some time, and his physical tools are of the once-in-a-generational variety.
That said, the rumors leading up to the draft are all over the board, so it’s possible that even Miller’s information has been leaked with the intention of a smokescreen. But since the Texans aren’t expected to trade away their pick, it wouldn’t make much sense for them to fully cloak their intentions anymore. At this point in time, Mack and a QB are prime options for Houston at No. 1, but Clowney is the most likely selection.