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Tipsheet: Clowney will help Rams rebuild
By Jeff Gordon jgordon@post-dispatch.com
South Carolina sackmaster Jadeveon Clowney will become a critical piece of the Rams' future.
Starting with the NFL draft combine, Clowney will dazzle NFL scouts, coaches and executives. He possesses rare physical ability and he promises to display all of it during the drills.
Teams will come away from this exercise coveting him. Odds are, he will be available with the second overall pick because the Houston Texans simply have to draft a quarterback.
This would leave the Rams with a ton of leverage. The franchise could draft Clowney and ignore its many other needs – but it seems far more likely to auction off that pick.
As teams fall deeper in love with Clowney during the individual workouts to come, their bidding could become more intense. So one way or another, Clowney will be instrumental in the Rams’ quest for playoff contention.
SI.com’s Andy Staples had this take:
We dinged Clowney—ever so slightly—during the season for an effort that didn’t measure up to his stellar sophomore year. Whether that dip was the consequence of nagging injuries or something else remains to be seen. But Clowney’s decision to do everything at the combine suggests he’s taking this process very seriously. On The Dan Patrick Show last week, guest host Kay Adams asked me what Clowney’s biggest challenge at the combine would be. My answer? Avoiding tripping over the dangling tongues of personnel people after each drill. I was only sort of kidding. Clowney probably will get some tough questions about his production, but he’ll likely leave a supremely positive impression on those evaluating him. Will it be enough to make him the No. 1 pick in the draft? Probably not as long as the Texans have the No. 1 pick. They have the best defensive end in the NFL and a glaring need at quarterback. The question is whether some team will be willing to trade up to grab Clowney.
ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure suggested the Atlanta Falcons should start taking trade:
Jadeveon Clowney vowed to put up "amazing" numbers at the NFL combine this week in Indianapolis. Well, the Atlanta Falcons better have their stopwatches and notepads ready to dissect his every move.
If the South Carolina defensive end follows through with his promise and blows away the field with his performance, the Falcons would be wise to start compiling their trade proposals to move up in the NFL draft. Whether Clowney tears up the combine or not, he's unlikely to be around if the Falcons remain at the sixth overall spot.
The Falcons sorely need a game-changer along the defensive line after tying for 29th in the league with 32 sacks in 2013. Their lack of consistent pressure made third down seem like going to the free throw line for opposing offenses.
Rams GM Les Snead used to work for the Falcons, so we're pretty sure that team knows how to contact him.
Tipsheet: Clowney will help Rams rebuild
By Jeff Gordon jgordon@post-dispatch.com
South Carolina sackmaster Jadeveon Clowney will become a critical piece of the Rams' future.
Starting with the NFL draft combine, Clowney will dazzle NFL scouts, coaches and executives. He possesses rare physical ability and he promises to display all of it during the drills.
Teams will come away from this exercise coveting him. Odds are, he will be available with the second overall pick because the Houston Texans simply have to draft a quarterback.
This would leave the Rams with a ton of leverage. The franchise could draft Clowney and ignore its many other needs – but it seems far more likely to auction off that pick.
As teams fall deeper in love with Clowney during the individual workouts to come, their bidding could become more intense. So one way or another, Clowney will be instrumental in the Rams’ quest for playoff contention.
SI.com’s Andy Staples had this take:
We dinged Clowney—ever so slightly—during the season for an effort that didn’t measure up to his stellar sophomore year. Whether that dip was the consequence of nagging injuries or something else remains to be seen. But Clowney’s decision to do everything at the combine suggests he’s taking this process very seriously. On The Dan Patrick Show last week, guest host Kay Adams asked me what Clowney’s biggest challenge at the combine would be. My answer? Avoiding tripping over the dangling tongues of personnel people after each drill. I was only sort of kidding. Clowney probably will get some tough questions about his production, but he’ll likely leave a supremely positive impression on those evaluating him. Will it be enough to make him the No. 1 pick in the draft? Probably not as long as the Texans have the No. 1 pick. They have the best defensive end in the NFL and a glaring need at quarterback. The question is whether some team will be willing to trade up to grab Clowney.
ESPN.com’s Vaughn McClure suggested the Atlanta Falcons should start taking trade:
Jadeveon Clowney vowed to put up "amazing" numbers at the NFL combine this week in Indianapolis. Well, the Atlanta Falcons better have their stopwatches and notepads ready to dissect his every move.
If the South Carolina defensive end follows through with his promise and blows away the field with his performance, the Falcons would be wise to start compiling their trade proposals to move up in the NFL draft. Whether Clowney tears up the combine or not, he's unlikely to be around if the Falcons remain at the sixth overall spot.
The Falcons sorely need a game-changer along the defensive line after tying for 29th in the league with 32 sacks in 2013. Their lack of consistent pressure made third down seem like going to the free throw line for opposing offenses.
Rams GM Les Snead used to work for the Falcons, so we're pretty sure that team knows how to contact him.
