The Houston Texans quickly went from a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations to a team who is now on the clock with the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Due to a rash of injuries as well as instability at the quarterback position, the Texans were perhaps the biggest disappointment of the 2013 NFL season. Now, while they do have more than a few holes to fill under new head coach Bill O’Brien, the Texans need to hit a home run with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. With that being said, could we see the Texans draft Johnny Manziel or Jadeveon Clowney with the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft?
Clearly both come with some baggage. During the game, Manziel is as exciting to watch as they come. After staging another comeback for the Texas A&M Aggies against the Duke Blue Devils in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, Manziel announced that he would leave school early and enter the 2014 NFL Draft. Yet, as talented as he is on the field, he may be equally as immature off of the field. Manziel has been involved in more than a few poor decisions, and it remains to be seen if he will grow up at the next level. If he does, then he has the abilities to be a great player in the NFL for many years. Of course, his small stature and style of play may also scare off a few teams from drafting him, but, there is no doubt that the talent is there now.
With Clowney, he is also as talented as they come. At least, when he is properly motivated. This season was a bit of a letdown for South Carolina Gamecocks fans who felt that Clowney could lead them to a national championship. While South Carolina did win 11 games and finish as the No. 4 ranked team in the country in all of the major polls, Clowney could not lead the Gamecocks to a BCS Bowl Game, and this team was carried by the strong play of quarterback Connor Shaw. The pressure was on Clowney since the end of last season and, simply put, he failed to deliver in 2013. Clowney often looked like a tired player who was more comfortable sitting on the sidelines than he was putting a hit on the opposition. He appeared unmotivated at times throughout the season, even in key moments in big games. Still, after watching what happened to former teammate Marcus Lattimore the previous season, it is at least somewhat understandable why Clowney wanted to protect his future.
In all likelihood, the Texans will lean toward drafting a quarterback with whom they can rebuild. O’Brien is seen as a quarterback guru, and he will probably be less than enamored with the duo of Matt Schaub and Case Keenum. O’Brien may wish to select a future quarterback whom he feels can lead this team back into the playoffs as soon as next season. Manziel could be his guy. Also helping his draft stock with Houston is the fact that he is a Texas kid. He would certainly sell tickets in 2014 and beyond.
Of course, imagining the potential domination of a defensive front line with Clowney on one end and J.J. Watt on the other is downright scary. That could be enough to make the Texans consider drafting a bookend to an already strong defensive line.
Of course, if the Texans want to play things a bit safer while landing a solid prospect, especially at the coveted quarterback position, then Teddy Bridgewater of the Louisville Cardinals is the smart choice. The kid is a competitive winner who could step right in and be a leader, and whom you will not need to worry about getting suspended due to poor decision-making skills.
Teddy to the Texans makes the most sense to me. Then again, I am sitting at home writing this article and not getting ready in an NFL draft war room.
Yes! Houston should draft johnny manziel. Reason is, will bring more money for city of Houston, plus he is from Texas. That would make sense!!!
Actually, I have a hunch that the Texans will keep with Case Keenum. as the starting QB. Coach O’Brien knows how to develop QB’s and I think he recognizes that in 4 of Keenum’s 8 starts, he did very well. 2 of the other 4 starts, old coach Kubiak pulled Keenum in the 3rd quarter and went back to Shaub who did horribly both times. No way to show faith in a new young QB. Plus—the Houston offensive line was terrible. Remember, Keenum threw his first 108 com[letons without an interception almost breaking the Texan’s record.
If the Texans dont pick Johnny Football they will regret it twice a year, because Jacksonville will.
This is a quarterback driven league and it will be increasingly difficult for teams not to take a QB with the top pick. The offensive lineman taken at the top of last year’s draft had nothing like the impact of the quarterbacks drafted over the past few years.