I’ll always remember the hype surrounding Jadeveon Clowney when he was playing for South Carolina. He was making comparisons to Demarcus Ware. He was a highly sought out draft prospect. When he declared his eligibility for the NFL Draft in 2014, he was considered the projected number one pick and the best player in the draft. That year, he was selected by the Houston Texans with the first overall pick. The thought of Jadeveon on one side and J.J. Watt on the other who was on his run at the time was a very scary thought to ponder because you had to deal with one just to game plan and deal with the other. This off-season, Clowney has been holding out because of contractual issues. He even said he’d hold out into the season if a new deal wasn’t given. This morning, after rumors circled around, he has a new home for the upcoming season. He’s been traded to the Seattle Seahawks.
Early on in his career, he had some issues staying healthy which resulted in him on the sidelines more than he saw the field. The last few years, he’s looked like the guy the draft experts and analysts expected him to be when he was the first overall pick back in ’14. He’s one of those players you create on Madden. He’s 6’5, he weighs about 270 pounds and has the speed of a slot receiver which is scary to envision and type at the same time. If you don’t believe me about his speed, I want you to go on YouTube and search for his 40-yard-dash at the 2014 NFL Combine. I’ve seen quick defensive linemen; he was lightning fast. First, he’s a pure athlete. I’ve never seen a guy his size move as quickly as he does or do half of the things he can do on the field. He’s powerful, strong, has long arms which he uses to his advantage because when you think you have him blocked, he can just use that swim move to go over you. He’s extremely flexible which allows him to bend and go underneath you. The first thing defensive linemen are taught when they start playing is to always stay low or the lowest man wins. He’s always low and square to the ground which is why he wins so many one on one battles on the field. Another positive of his is the versatility he displays. He can be used all over the field. He lines up as a defensive end, he can line up over the tackle or guards and lines up also as a linebacker. He’s been coached to be played anywhere so he can just do what he does best which is rush and make plays. Jadeveon has put it together and he’s a guy you must constantly pay attention too on the field because you never know where he’s coming from.
I absolutely approve of this move for the Seahawks. This gives them a potential top 4 defensive tandem in Clowney and Bobby Wagner who was just signed to a contract extension. This makes things more interesting in the NFC West. I feel for Jared Goff, Jimmy Garappolo and Kyler Murray knowing they all face this guy two times a year.
