Houston Texans: Jadeveon Clowney will bounce back in 2015

When having the first overall pick in the NFL Draft, a lot of pressure comes on not only the player drafted, but the team that drafts him. The Houston Texans have held the first overall pick three times in franchise history, and so far their results have been mixed.

In 2002, the Texans drafted what they hoped would be their franchise quarterback for years to come. The selection of David Carr that season however did not work out well for either Carr or the Texans. In five seasons with the Texans, Carr was never able to help lead the team to a winning record, and he also only had two seasons with more touchdown passes than interceptions. To Carr’s defense, being drafted to an expansion team is setting a player up for failure, and in his case it did.

While holding the No.1 pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, the Texans were able to make a much better selection in a high profile draft. With college stars Vince Young, Matt Leinart, and Reggie Bush all being available to them, the Texans instead selected defensive lineman Mario Williams with the first overall pick. At the time, the Texans took a lot of heat, but nearly 10 years later, both Young and Leinart are out of the league, and Bush hasn’t been nearly as explosive as he was in college.

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It wasn’t an eye-popping rookie season for Williams, as he only recorded 4.5 sacks in his first season with the Texans, but things would improve after his first season. In 2007, Williams broke out with 14 sacks on the season, and then followed it up with 12 sacks the next season. After six seasons and 53 total sacks for Williams in Houston, he signed with the Buffalo Bills in the 2012 season. Williams may not have been on the Texans for as long as they would have hoped, but they certainly made the right selection with the No.1 pick by choosing him.

Last season, the Texans held the first overall pick for the third time, and after the success of drafting Williams, they would draft another star defensive player in Jadeveon Clowney. Clowney’s rookie season was pretty much non-existent, as he missed time with injuries during training camp, and then during the season, he would have to get micro-fracture surgery in his knee. When on the field at South Carolina, Clowney was very able to recognize on the defensive line, as most notable was his hit against Michigan running back Vincent Smith.

Dec 28, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) reacts during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Even with the No.1 pick last season missing so much time, the Texans were able to rebound from a horrific season with a 9-7 record in 2014. A lot of that success had to do with the play from J.J. Watt. Watt had an MVP-caliber season, totaling 20.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and one touchdown on a fumble recovery.

With Clowney expected to be healthy, the signing of defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, and a player like Watt, the Texans’ defense can be frightening for quarterbacks. When Clowney gets on the field in 2015, he will not have to worry about the double teams he faced in college. Clowney one-on-one could wreak havoc on opposing teams, as with the talent that he has individually, and the talent surrounding him, he will avoid being a bust for the Texans.

Next: Is Brian Hoyer an upgrade at QB in 2015?

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