South Carolina Gamecocks

South Carolina Gamecocks

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Jadeveon Clowney - DL - Gamecocks

ESPN's Todd McShay ranks South Carolina edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney as the third-best overall draft prospect in the past five years.

"Clowney is the clear-cut No. 1 prospect in this year's draft, and the most physically talented defensive lineman I've ever evaluated," the analyst wrote. "I've never given a defensive end a higher grade. He has a rare combination of size, speed, power and athletic ability." In McShay's eyes, Clowney is only behind Andrew Luck (No. 1, 2012) and Von Miller (No. 2, 2011). "If he doesn't get drafted No. 1 overall by the Texans, it's hard to see him falling past the No. 2 pick (if the Rams draft him or another team trades up to get him)," McShay wrote. "There have been work-ethic issues raised about Clowney, but I think those have been overblown. When he gets one-on-one opportunities to rush the passer in the NFL, watch out."
Source: ESPN Insider
Apr 23 - 8:12 PM
Jadeveon Clowney - DL - Gamecocks

South Carolina edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney and Buffalo edge rusher Khalil Mack will visit the Falcons on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport.

After adding strength and size up front, we feel the Falcons need to add one of these two prospects in this class. However, a trade up might be necessary, even all the way up to No. 2. Mack would fit nicely in Mike Nolan's multiple front defense, and Clowney could be immediately inserted on the edge.
Source: Ian Rapoport on Twitter
Apr 22 - 12:33 PM
Jadeveon Clowney - DL - Gamecocks

An NFC executive told NFL Media reporter Albert Breer that the questions surrounding South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney are "really scary."

"What are you buying?" the NFC personnel exec told Breer. "I'm not sure. He can be a big-time player, but is he gonna be? The wiring, the motor, the questions about shutting it down -- it's really scary. It's boom or bust. I don't know how important football is to him." A different NFC executive interviewed for the same story doesn't have as many concerns about the 6-foot-6, 266-pound freak who can run a 4.53 40-yard dash. "Right now, today, he's a damn-good NFL player, no matter what," a different NFC executive told Breer. "The kid could've started in the NFL his freshman year, the way he played. It's not that he doesn't have good tape. And if you hit on him, he's Reggie White. His God-given talent is better than 99 percent of the NFL. ... He's gonna be 275 to 285 pounds, and he moves like he's 250. If you hit on him, he changes the game."
Source: NFL.com
Apr 21 - 7:23 PM
Jadeveon Clowney - DL - Gamecocks

CBS Sports' Pete Prisco tweeted "NFL personnel believe Texans will trade out of top spot."

Prisco suggest The Falcons and Bills as two possibilities to trade up to No. 1 for Jadeveon Clowney, and believes the Rams might be an option "if the offer were right." This report could go hand in hand with Peter King's, which said (via a friend of) Houston GM Rich Smith preferred Khalil Mack over Clowney.
Source: Pete Prisco on Twitter
Apr 21 - 11:20 AM
Jadeveon Clowney - DL - Gamecocks

The "prevailing thought around the league" is that Houston will "take a defensive player or look to trade out" at the No. 1, reported ESPN's Adam Schefter on NFL Live Thursday.

Schefter doesn't believe Houston will draft a quarterback first, which jives with conventional wisdom of the moment. South Carolina edge player Jadeveon Clowney ceased doing private workouts recently, leading to speculation that the Texans have settled on the Gamecocks star and perhaps told him as much. ESPN's Mel Kiper had Clowney going No. 1 and Houston grabbing Teddy Bridgewater at 33rd overall. That would be one of the great hauls in recent draft memory if the Texans can pull it off.
Source: NFL Live
Apr 18 - 12:34 AM
Jadeveon Clowney - DL - Gamecocks

Appearing Tuesday on "Schein on Sports" with NFL Media's Adam Schein, Jacksonville Jaguars coach Gus Bradley mentioned that he got "a real sense" that South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney "wants to be great."

"You just get a real sense that this guy wants to be great, and to surround him with players that know what it takes, I think, will be very beneficial for him. We always look at does he have enough humility to identify his weaknesses because, if he has that, you know he has a chance to get better. And I do sense humility from him," Bradley said on SiriusXM's Mad Dog Sports Radio. Gus Bradley noted that Clowney "might need direction" but said that would be "the job of his coaching staff." Bradley might not have that opportunity to coach up Clowney if the Texans or Rams beat him to it, with the first or second picks in the draft.
Source: NFL.com
Apr 17 - 4:33 PM
Jadeveon Clowney - DL - Gamecocks

Mlive.com's Kyle Meinke reports that the Detroit Lions brought South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney in for an official visit on Wednesday.

With the Lions picking at the No. 10 spot in the draft, it's interesting that they've brought in Clowney, who seems to be a lock to be drafted with one of the first three picks. The Lions have been rumored to have a soft spot for Clemson WR Sammy Watkins, who is also a top 4 talent in this years draft. Detroit could be very serious about making a move to trade up in the draft, but how far up are they willing to go? Just the thought of Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, Ezekial Anzah, and Jadeveon Clowney on the same defensive front, should cause nightmares for offensive coordinators across the league.
Source: Mlive.com
Apr 17 - 11:31 AM
Jadeveon Clowney - DL - Gamecocks

NFL Media analyst Charles Davis believes the Atlanta Falcons should trade up for South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney or Buffalo's OLB Khalil Mack.

"They need a pass rusher, and there's none better this year than Clowney, but to ensure landing him, they would probably need to move up from the sixth-overall pick to No. 1," Davis wrote. "That's going to be an awfully tough, and expensive, move to pull off. If Clowney goes first to the Texans, the Falcons should shift their focus to Mack, the second-best edge rusher available." Davis mentions that Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff should target the Jaguars No. 3 selection, since his former director of player personnel, Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell, could be a suitable trade partner. If the trade is too expensive for Clowney, at least the Falcons can land another defensive stud in Mack.
Source: NFL.com
Apr 16 - 4:19 AM
Victor Hampton - DB - Gamecocks

TMZ is reporting that South Carolina CB Victor Hampton and DT Kelcy Quarles are wanted by the New York City Police Department for questioning in connection to an altercation at a New York nightclub.

The incident in question took place at the Greenhouse nightclub on April 11. Details are hazy at this time, but a fight reportedly broke out in the VIP section in which three men attacked a club promoter and caused "extensive facial injuries." The NYPD told TMZ that the investigation is ongoing, and that no arrests have been made. Both Hampton and Quarles are Day 2 prospects.
Source: TMZ.com
Apr 15 - 5:51 PM
Jadeveon Clowney - DL - Gamecocks

CBS Sports' Pete Prisco believes scheme fit should be irrelevant when evaluating South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney.

"The days of the New York Giants lining up in 3-4 (the Bills Parcells' Giants) all the time, playing Cover-2 and stopping everybody, you just don't see that anymore," Tennessee Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt said. The Texans run a 3-4 scheme, but Clowney's gifts are such that wherever they decide to place him, making life hell on the QB shouldn't be a problem. The following quote is about J.J. Watt, but Texans' coach Bill O'Brien could just as easily be talking about Clowney: "The first day of minicamp we'll line up in this 3-4 and that's what we run. After that, it goes to some three-down looks, some four-down looks, some odd looks where he'll (Watt) be moving around. It's just a very multiple defense. 70 percent of the game now is played in nickel. When we went through our snaps, I think against last year's Texans offense, I think 75 percent of the snaps were played in nickel or dime because a lot times, Houston was in 11 personnel. He's going to fit in very well."
Source: CBS Sports
Apr 14 - 6:37 PM
Jadeveon Clowney - DL - Gamecocks

Jadeveon Clowney has told teams he will not do any more individual workouts, according to The MMQB's Peter King.

King cites Clemson offensive lineman Brandon Thomas' knee injury as evidence for Clowney's, and his camp's, decision. "I spoke to two general managers over the weekend about this, and one took exception to Clowney taking a pass on pre-draft team workouts and one didn’t," King writes. It is fairly clear the risk just did not match the reward, and we doubt a team will pass on a talent like Clowney because of this.
Source: The MMQB
Apr 14 - 12:25 PM
Jadeveon Clowney - DL - Gamecocks

An anonymous NFC personnel man blasted South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney, calling him "spoiled" and "lazy."

"He’s spoiled, and he’s lazy," the personnel man said. "He’s never worked hard a day in his life, now all of a sudden you’re going to give him a bunch of money and expect him to work hard. I don’t see it." He continued: "Oh, he’s going to be a high pick. Some team will fall in love with him. But wait and see, just wait and see. I just don’t think you can count on him. I’m betting the under on him." An executive in personnel from an AFC team pondered over a change of position: "Can he play linebacker? He’d be a great linebacker. I’m not sure he’s that rare talent everyone says he is, but he’s a talent." An NFC scout quoted in the story, however, is sold: "You see the ability. He’s a beast. He’s going to be a top pick and he’s going to be worth it."
Source: NJ.com
Apr 13 - 6:59 PM
Jadeveon Clowney - DL - Gamecocks

Former NFL linebacker Carl Banks said comparing South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney to Lawrence Taylor is "ridiculous."

"They should hope he's as good as a Richard Dent, Neil Smith, Bruce Smith or Charles Haley," Banks said. "If he can get to that level, he's a dominant player. But you want to jump over those players and say he's the next Lawrence Taylor? It's ridiculous." It's always best for former players to embrace the hyperbole of draft season, as opposed to coming off as cantankerous. Banks' argument is that people aren't remembering the good ol' days. To make it, he's discounting a potential generational talent (Mike Mayock or Todd McShay's words) who is, you know, a person who actually plays the sport at this moment. Apples-to-apples comparisons must be made in any field that requires projections be simplified in order to streamline their consumption to a mass audience. That isn't ridiculous, that's the nature of communication, and this is what Banks doesn't realize he's actually upset about.
Source: ESPN.com
Apr 10 - 7:29 PM
Jadeveon Clowney - DL - Gamecocks

Under current Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel, edge rusher Tamba Hali dropped into coverage on only 8.6 percent of his snaps in 2012.

This post is intended for those who question Jadeveon Clowney's possible fit with the Texans at No. 1. Detractors frequently question if Clowney can drop, but as the figure shows, he would rarely be asked to do so. Just let the edge player be a designated rusher, converting speed to power at a high rate. And even if he does drop, Clowney will only be asked to cover curl to flat areas.
Source: Pete Damilatis on Twitter
Apr 10 - 2:36 PM
Jadeveon Clowney - DL - Gamecocks

NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said on Houston SportsTalk 790 that South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney is "the best defensive lineman talent on the planet."

"It just depends on if he takes advantage of that," Mayock said. The analyst hedged a bit when asked if he'd take Clowney were he in charge of Houston's No. 1 pick, mentioning a quarterback or trading down as two alternate possibilities, but did concede that Clowney would be his personal top-overall pick. ESPN's Mel Kiper and Todd McShay both said recently that they'd take Clowney at No. 1, and McShay calls him the most talented defensive lineman he's ever evaluated.
Source: Houston SportsTalk 790
Apr 7 - 8:14 PM

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