Texans Owner Likes the Idea of Jadeveon Clowney With J.J. Watt

Jan 1, 2014; Orlando, FL, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (7) runs off the field after the second quarter of the Capital One Bowl against the Wisconsin Badgers held at the Florida Citrus Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Rob Foldy-USA TODAY Sports

Ever since the Texans sealed up the number one overall pick, people have been saying they’re going to take a quarterback. That’s not an unfair assumption by any means, especially if you paid attention to the Texans this past year.

However, most people would agree that none of the quarterbacks in this year’s draft are the most talented players available, and that’s something the Texans will have to take into consideration. Owner Bob McNair was recently gushing over South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, and the prospect of pairing him up with the league’s best defensive player–J.J. Watt.

McNair is most smitten by the athletic ability that Clowney possesses. While the Texans are open to trading the number one overall pick, there’s a chance they could trade down just a couple of spots and still snag the draft’s most explosive defensive player.

“He’s one of these players who’s a once-in-every-10 years kind of physical specimen that comes along,” McNair said, before comparing Clowney to the team’s last No. 1 pick in 2006. “Mario Williams was that way. I think Clowney is actually a better athlete than Mario.”

Interestingly enough, McNair said he has already talked to Watt about playing with Clowney, and how he would have to mentor him.

“Like many of these players that have great physical attributes, they didn’t have to work as hard in junior high school and high school and in college to be a superlative athlete because they have this natural ability,” McNair said. “He’s not a J.J. Watt. J.J. didn’t have that natural ability. He worked. He developed his. I said, ‘J.J., I don’t know what will happen, but if we get Clowney, we want you to instill in him the same kind of work habits that you have.’ He said, ‘If he’s in the same room with me, then he’ll have them.”

The Texans are keeping their options open, which is good because they may indeed want to trade the pick and accumulate. However, the prospect of pairing J.J. Watt with Jadeveon Clowney is a really fun one, but the hole at QB for the Texans may be far too big to ignore.