College: South Carolina
Ht: 6'5
Wt: 266 pounds
This draft season, every player has had a negative thing said about them concerning their on-field talent. You have seen the likes of: "Johnny Manziel will not translate, Bishop Sankey has terrible vision, Sammy Watkins is too small, Brandin Cooks cannot be a number one, Eric Ebron cannot catch, Jake Matthews does not jump off the screen, Greg Robinson cannot pass block, Cyril Richardson got destroyed by Aaron Donald in Mobile, Anthony Barr is too raw, Darqueze Dennard gets beat too much"
All of these are true in one sense or the other, as there are no players who are perfect.
What about Jadeveon Clowney?
Strengths
Quickness: Clowney can beat you in any way you can think of, but his quickness is among the best we have ever seen. His innate ability to be at full speed right after the snap will bring him great things in the NFL.
Hands: When you watch Clowney play, the first thing you see is the swim move. In addition to his elite quickness, he uses his hands very well to get around blockers. His swim move is lethal, and he has shown time and time again that even if you know it is coming, you cannot stop it. Just ask Antonio Richardson.
Strength: Some will say that he could improve his strength, and he could. But that is the scary part. Clowney also possesses elite strength in his pass rush, and his run defense. One play that sticks out was against Tennessee when he was taken out by a chop block, but was able to pull down Raijon Neal with one hand for a tackle for loss.
Dominance: It sounds odd to put this as a strength, but there is no other way to describe his play on the field. Clowney is one of the better prospects we have seen in a long time. Last season his numbers were down, but if you saw what happened to him each and every play, the respect for his talent was evident. He will not get a "sack" or "tackle for loss" when he pressures the quarterback, but the fact that he was able to disrupt each and every play in some way goes a long way.
"Disruption is production"
Weaknesses
Injury: Last season, Clowney played the majority of the season with bone spurs in his foot. Each and every team takes a look at the health of players, but the fact that he has had an injury will affect him going forward. If it checks out well though, he will be ready to go and dominate right away.
Work Ethic: Some have said that his off the field work ethic is poor. He could have been bored at South Carolina, but showing up out of shape is not a good look for anyone.
NFL Comparison
The only comparison I can think of is a lightning fast version of Ndamukong Suh. Not bad, huh?
Draft Outlook
Clowney will without question be one of the first players taken in May, and will likely be the first non-quarterback taken.
Best Fits
He fits in any scheme, as talent will find a way to win in any situation. But the best possible fit in the entire NFL for him is the number one pick with the Houston Texans. Pairing with J.J. Watt could be one of the most devastating defensive fronts we have ever seen.