Clowning Around | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Sports

Clowning Around

5

Jadeveon Clowney will be the biggest bust in the history of the NFL. You heard it here first.

After a breakout sophomore season at South Carolina, Clowney has been less than impressive and almost a non-factor for the Gamecocks’ defensive unit. Yes, we all remember the famous hit against Michigan. The running back left his feet, the helmet flew off and Clowney palmed the loose ball with one hand. I have no doubt the Michigan running back still has nightmares after that play.

Clowney has an immense amount of talent at just about any of the front seven positions. He’s versatile, he’s elusive, and above all, he’s powerful. His unprecedented ability to elude blockers has NFL scouts raving about his potential to become one of the best pass rushers the league has ever seen.

There’s one thing holding Clowney back from becoming one of the most dominant defenders in all of football and it’s not his physical attributes, but his head. Football is not a game for the faint of heart.

If I’m an NFL coach or general manager, here are the reasons why I do not take Clowney with the first overall pick:

Reason #1: Not in shape.
If you’re going to draft a player in the first round, you inherently expect production from said player. In order to produce you must be on the field, regardless of the position. It’s a simple concept. A first round pick, especially early in the draft, is a huge investment. Clowney has been criticized multiple times this season for his inability to get into game shape. If I’m an NFL coach, I don’t want to see my starting defensive end gasping for air at the end of the first quarter.

Reason #2: Laziness.
As seen this season, when Clowney gets tired, he takes plays off. If you’re playing against Peyton Manning and the Broncos, do you want any of your players taking a play off? Take a play off and any NFL quarterback will pick apart the defense. His job is to get to the quarterback when he drops back. Give any quarterback a little bit of time and he will surely complete the pass.

Reason #3: Makes too many excuses.
After losing to Georgia in week 2 of the college football season, Clowney complained to the media and his coaches because he said they didn’t use him the right way. He has one job. Get to the quarterback. He claimed to be college football’s scariest player--he should realize he is going to draw more attention to opposing offenses that want to stop him from getting anywhere near the football. Opposing teams scheme around Clowney by running the ball away from him and utilizing two or even three blockers at a time just to slow him down. The best part about football is that this game is a team sport; hence the double team blocking will allow another player to make a tackle.

The NFL is developing into a league of character, or at least it’s trying to move in that direction. Ten years ago, a player’s character problems did not matter all that much when entering the draft, but NFL teams are looking for quality guys, both on and off the field, whom they will invest millions of dollars in over the course of a few seasons. General managers are starting to realize that there investment into a first round draft pick can significantly set back their franchise for many years. Teams want to win now.

I’m not dismissing his talent, but Jadeveon Clowney will be one of the biggest disappointments in recent memory.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Gilmore Girls
Hypable

In honor of Mother’s Day, I have been thinking of all the things my mom does for my family and me. Although I couldn’t write nearly all of them, here are a few things that moms do for us.

They find that shirt that’s right in front of you, but just you can’t seem to find.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

10 Reasons To Thank Your Best Friend

Take the time to thank that one friend in your life you will never let go of.

4291
Thank You on wooden blocks

1. Thank you for being the one I can always count on to be honest.

A true friend will tell you if the shirt is ugly, or at least ask to borrow it and "accidentally" burn it.

2. Thank you for accepting me for who I am.

A best friend will love you regardless of the stale french fries you left on the floor of your car, or when you had lice in 8th grade and no one wanted to talk to you.

Keep Reading...Show less
sick student
StableDiffusion

Everybody gets sick once in a while, but getting sick while in college is the absolute worst. You're away from home and your mom who can take care of you and all you really want to do is just be in your own bed. You feel like you will have never-ending classwork to catch up on if you miss class, so you end up going sick and then it just takes longer to get better. Being sick in college is really tough and definitely not a fun experience. Here are the 15 stages that everyone ends up going through when they are sick at college.

Keep Reading...Show less
kid
Janko Ferlic
Do as I say, not as I do.

Your eyes widen in horror as you stare at your phone. Beads of sweat begin to saturate your palm as your fingers tremble in fear. The illuminated screen reads, "Missed Call: Mom."

Growing up with strict parents, you learn that a few things go unsaid. Manners are everything. Never talk back. Do as you're told without question. Most importantly, you develop a system and catch on to these quirks that strict parents have so that you can play their game and do what you want.

Keep Reading...Show less
friends
tv.com

"Friends" maybe didn’t have everything right or realistic all the time, but they did have enough episodes to create countless reaction GIFs and enough awesomeness to create, well, the legacy they did. Something else that is timeless, a little rough, but memorable? Living away from the comforts of home. Whether you have an apartment, a dorm, your first house, or some sort of residence that is not the house you grew up in, I’m sure you can relate to most of these!

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments