As expected, Clowney picks USCe

[USCBAMA]

Couple things...as with all things, there are no guarantees in life. No guarantee he'll play on Sundays. There's quite a long road between here & there. Secondly, in the NFL, he kinda doesn't have a say so in where he plays. Mainly depending on where he gets drafted. Couple of examples. At Arizona St., Terrell Suggs was a pass rushing DE in a 4-3 scheme. Gets drafted by the Ravens and now he plays on his feet on the outside as well as with his hand on the ground. And if he decides that he doesn't want to, it might hurt him in the long run. Take Albert Haynesworth for instance. He knows, he's a better DT in a 4-3 scheme, but the coaches want him at DE in a 3-4 scheme. He comes out looking like the bad guy and his image and value have plummeted (worse than it already was).

Obviously there are no guarantees, but based on his current size and speed and abilities, and projections for his growth, he is projected as a hands down DE in the nfl. Assuming he progresses and grows as expected, it would be unlikely that a team running a 3-4 would draft him. Again, no guarantees but based on what we currently know that is the most likely scenario. It was a factor in his recruitment as the USC staff wisely pointed this out to him many times.

Bama actually trumped USC in most recruiting areas, but the areas USC won were major - primarily location/family, friends at USC, and the 4-3 Defense. Realistically Bama wins out in just about every other category, but for JC those 3 were biggies. It's a compliment to Bama's program and coaching staff that they were almost able to overcome those with a kid so close to his mom.

 

[DurdenTider]

They're is no guarantee on anyone but you have to believe that with most of these evaluations considering that he's the best recruit to come out of HS in 10 years speaks highly on his chances. Barring an injury, I can't see him not making an impact in college which will make the NFL look at him. I think he would benefit more at a Jack LB instead of DE only b/c at UA he would've been able to put his hand on the ground from time to time but there are players in the NFL that use their skills to outplay OT in the NFL like Ware and Peppers and I have to believe that JC could be the same. Congrats to USCe for getting an amazing player.

 

[CapstoneGrad06]

The issue with the 3-4 versus the 4-3 has more to do with where he will likely play in the NFL (DE in a 4-3) versus where he has the ability to play in college (anywhere he wants to outside of DB). Playing DE in a 4-3 will better prepare him for the NFL because it's likely where he will play on Sundays.

There are 12 teams in the NFL that run the 3-4, and it's growing every offseason. It's likely that by the time Clowney is in the NFL, and he's grown into his body, he'll be playing for one of those 3-4 defenses.

 

[WMack4Bama]

Tell that to a guy like Vernon Gholston. Was a hands down DE at Ohio St. Got drafted by the Jets who run a 3-4 because they felt like he was the best talent available and now he can't even crack the 3 deep rotation. It happens. Same with a guy like Manny Lawson who was a pass rushing DE in NC State's 4-3 defense. He's now a pass rushing Outside Backer for the 49ers who run a 3-4. Same goes with Elvis Dumervill. Was a solid pass rushing DE in college, now he's one of the best pass rushing OLBs in the league.

That's why I say he doesn't have a say in where he goes (barring injury or some other crazy event). If you listen to the philosophy of guys like Ozzie Newsome, you can catch my drift. Ozzie has said on more than one occasion, that he leans heavily toward just drafting the absolute best guy that's available regardless of position or position preference and the worst thing that can happen is that he has a team full of good players. Same goes for a team like NE. They just stockpile talent, as do most NFL teams. Just like most employers in the "real world" are looking for employees who can give them more than their resume/degree says, NFL teams want players who are versatile and are flexible in moving around to whatever position best suits the organization's schemes. The smart players do just that. Both Ronnie Lott & Rod Woodson started out as corners and moved to safety because it was best for their respective teams. They both wound up in Canton.

All that being said, I reiterate what I said in an earlier post. I wish Jadaveon all the success in the world and I seriously hope he leaves Carolina as a legend. There's something to be said for carrying the weight of your village/community/state on your back.

Obviously there are no guarantees, but based on his current size and speed and abilities, and projections for his growth, he is projected as a hands down DE in the nfl. Assuming he progresses and grows as expected, it would be unlikely that a team running a 3-4 would draft him. Again, no guarantees but based on what we currently know that is the most likely scenario. It was a factor in his recruitment as the USC staff wisely pointed this out to him many times.

Bama actually trumped USC in most recruiting areas, but the areas USC won were major - primarily location/family, friends at USC, and the 4-3 Defense. Realistically Bama wins out in just about every other category, but for JC those 3 were biggies. It's a compliment to Bama's program and coaching staff that they were almost able to overcome those with a kid so close to his mom.

 

[MOAN]

Not saying the Clowneys are dumb, stupid or anything, I just think when coach Saban visited and talked to them he was way over their head to the point they really didn't have time to think of a reply. Coach Saban doesn't waste to much time waiting on what he said to sink in without a response, he is a busy man. He surely impressed them or Bama would not have even been on their target. Momma actually liked and wanted him to go to Clemson. Clowney loved the Bama women. USCe is where he felt at home with all his friends and buddies. Tough decision for anyone!

 

[USCBAMA]

Tell that to a guy like Vernon Gholston. Was a hands down DE at Ohio St. Got drafted by the Jets who run a 3-4 because they felt like he was the best talent available and now he can't even crack the 3 deep rotation. It happens. Same with a guy like Manny Lawson who was a pass rushing DE in NC State's 4-3 defense. He's now a pass rushing Outside Backer for the 49ers who run a 3-4. Same goes with Elvis Dumervill. Was a solid pass rushing DE in college, now he's one of the best pass rushing OLBs in the league.

That's why I say he doesn't have a say in where he goes (barring injury or some other crazy event). If you listen to the philosophy of guys like Ozzie Newsome, you can catch my drift. Ozzie has said on more than one occasion, that he leans heavily toward just drafting the absolute best guy that's available regardless of position or position preference and the worst thing that can happen is that he has a team full of good players. Same goes for a team like NE. They just stockpile talent, as do most NFL teams. Just like most employers in the "real world" are looking for employees who can give them more than their resume/degree says, NFL teams want players who are versatile and are flexible in moving around to whatever position best suits the organization's schemes. The smart players do just that. Both Ronnie Lott & Rod Woodson started out as corners and moved to safety because it was best for their respective teams. They both wound up in Canton.

Being able to find individual examples of exceptions to the rule does not change the fact that right now, based on the data available, most experts project JC as a hands-down DE in the nfl. USC did use this to their advantage in the recruitment of JC. I'm not making stuff up here. Yes, there are prototypical DEs who have ended up in 3-4 schemes in the nfl and some have done well, but that doesn't mean that JC should plan his future based on the exception to the rule. He may end up in a 3-4 scheme and may end up playing standing up, but right now that is not what is being projected for him.

All that being said, I reiterate what I said in an earlier post. I wish Jadaveon all the success in the world and I seriously hope he leaves Carolina as a legend. There's something to be said for carrying the weight of your village/community/state on your back.

I actually think this played as big a role in Clowney's final decision as anything else (the 3-4/4-3 thing was a factor, but it was really a secondary factor). Being close to home and family was #1 (and it's hard to criticize a kid for that), but I believe the idea of being a local hero appealed to Clowney... and to be truthful it's hard to criticize that as well. I'm sure all Bama fans (myself included) would want the same attitude from a local Tuscaloosa or B'ham 5* kid.

 

[Mystical]

I agree Bama women are the best!!!!

 

[RTR91]

I predict Alabama will face Mr. Clowney next season in Atlanta. I wouldn't be surprised if either Douglas or Fluker or whoever is play T takes care of him. My reason? Coach Saban has recruited him for a long time; he knows where Clowney needs work and how to stop him.

 

[WMack4Bama]

Not to belabor the point (since we generally agree and are basically saying the same thing, I hate to keep going back & forth), but I just wanted to point out that those guys aren't really exceptions to the rule. Over the past half decade or so since a lot of teams have migrated more toward the 3-4, you hear the term "tweener" a lot. And that being guys who can play with their hands on the ground as well as standing up on the outside in the 3-4. Those guys that I listed were merely examples, but there's a laundry list of guys who played in 4-3 defenses in college (as most guys do) and have converted to OLB once they get to the league. From drafthuddle.com "The average outside linebacker size is: 6’2 – 260 lbs, with nearly 50% of all 3-4 outside linebackers being converted defensive ends (“tweeners”). " Nobody knows how his body will develop, but in an SEC strength & conditioning program, he can easily put on 20 more pounds of muscle (as he's now listed at 6'5" 235 lbs). In addition to the names I threw out earlier, in that 50% you can also throw out names like DeMarcus Ware, Lamar Woodley, and Shaun Phillips among many others. Another thing those guys can do in addition to running down the QB is cover the flats effectively. We've seen in Clowney's highlights that he's more than capable of keeping up with a RB. I'm pretty sure some coach is going to want to tap into that potential. But I digress. Let's let the guy suit up in Columbia first before we put him in the Pro Bowl in whichever scheme he winds up in. RTR

Being able to find individual examples of exceptions to the rule does not change the fact that right now, based on the data available, most experts project JC as a hands-down DE in the nfl. USC did use this to their advantage in the recruitment of JC. I'm not making stuff up here. Yes, there are prototypical DEs who have ended up in 3-4 schemes in the nfl and some have done well, but that doesn't mean that JC should plan his future based on the exception to the rule. He may end up in a 3-4 scheme and may end up playing standing up, but right now that is not what is being projected for him.



I actually think this played as big a role in Clowney's final decision as anything else (the 3-4/4-3 thing was a factor, but it was really a secondary factor). Being close to home and family was #1 (and it's hard to criticize a kid for that), but I believe the idea of being a local hero appealed to Clowney... and to be truthful it's hard to criticize that as well. I'm sure all Bama fans (myself included) would want the same attitude from a local Tuscaloosa or B'ham 5* kid.

 

[EveryThingGreen]

he is listed at 6'6 250lbs. I would guess that with his frame and being in a college weight program, he easily leaves college at 6'6 275-285lbs.

 

[Leeroy]

With all said and done, I think we're better off with JCs decision. He's an oustanding player no doubt, but imo his maturity is lacking, (see link). If he didn't play frequently as a freshman or at the postion he wants, I believe there would be hurt feelings. I think there was real possibilty of that happening too, because (again imo) he would be a project. In this instance, "be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it" applies.

We have a solid group that seems to get it...I'm happy with that. And, I wish J. Clowney all the success he works for.

An exclusive inside look at the recruiting of No. 1 football prospect Jadeveon Clowney - College Football News | FOX Sports on MSN



Roll Tide

 

[RTR91]

With all said and done, I think we're better off with JCs decision. He's an oustanding player no doubt, but imo his maturity is lacking, (see link). If he didn't play frequently as a freshman or at the postion he wants, I believe there would be hurt feelings. I think there was real possibilty of that happening too, because (again imo) he would be a project. In this instance, "be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it" applies.

We have a solid group that seems to get it...I'm happy with that. And, I wish J. Clowney all the success he works for.

An exclusive inside look at the recruiting of No. 1 football prospect Jadeveon Clowney - College Football News | FOX Sports on MSN



Roll Tide

“I don’t see no big deal like everybody else,” he said later. “They’d say, ‘He’s the king of all of football.’ The guy ain’t nothing but 5-5. He’s a short guy. Everybody’s going crazy on Nick Saban.”
During the visit, Saban touted Alabama’s graduation rate, its success in sending players to the NFL and playing Clowney at both defensive end and outside linebacker. Clowney and his family could hardly get a word in.
“Nick Saban’s going to take over and talk,” Clowney said. “He talked the whole time he was there. I was dozing off. He can talk. A lot. He talked for a whole straight hour.”

Um Jadeveon, Coach Saban is kind of a big deal in the fact that he has 2 National Championships and multiple SEC championships and puts players in the NFL. When was CSS's last national championship? SEC Championship? Top 10 NFL Draft Pick? Heisman Trophy winner?

That 5'5 guy had all of that last season. CSS hasn't had any of it for over 10 years.

 

[BamaNation]

Not just speaking about Clowney, but how many of us would want to have to deal with these type kids every day ? I know I wouldn't. My patience would wear thin very quickly. SOOOO, it's probably a good thing I'm not a coach I'm thankful that we have a number of good coaches & teachers on this board (and in my own family) who DO have to deal with them...without killin'em !

 

[NashvilleTider]

Not to belabor the point but I think we will see moments of brilliance for this kid and periods of inactivity as he get's bored or finds that the going just isn't as easy as it was in high school. The great one's are great because they have the talent and they work hard. Anyone that is bored when a coach that recently won a NC comes to his house will also be bored by the repetitive drills and work that has to be done in a D-1 program.
There is no doubt he has the God given talent. Watching his videos was as exciting as when I first saw Trent Richardson. But will he work to get better? Based on what I read in the Fox Sports article...I doubt it.

 

[RollTide1224]

Clowney takes a few digs at Nick Saban - SEC Blog - ESPN

A few not so flattering comments from Clowney about Saban. After reading this I have to say I really don't like the kid and hope he gets humbled a little bit by SEC play.

 

[RTR91]

Clowney takes a few digs at Nick Saban - SEC Blog - ESPN

A few not so flattering comments from Clowney about Saban. After reading this I have to say I really don't like the kid and hope he gets humbled a little bit by SEC play.

That is the abbreviated version of the link on the previous page. I don't get why he takes shots at CNS then says he would have committed to Bama a long time ago if Bama ran a 4-3 system.

 

[AustinTider]

He's Spurrier's problem now.
Bored, bad grades, street cred and all....

 

[CrimsonBleedRed]

Clowney takes a few digs at Nick Saban - SEC Blog - ESPN

A few not so flattering comments from Clowney about Saban. After reading this I have to say I really don't like the kid and hope he gets humbled a little bit by SEC play.

CNS simply does not care. The only people that are getting worked up about this are fans, period. Clowney knows he won't face Saban in his collegiate career so of course he'll take his shots. Oh well.....

 

[1Dawn]

Clowney takes a few digs at Nick Saban - SEC Blog - ESPN

A few not so flattering comments from Clowney about Saban. After reading this I have to say I really don't like the kid and hope he gets
humbled a little bit by SEC play.

I agree with you. I read an article last night with Clowney's quotes about CNS. What he said was a true turn off to me. Even if he felt that way, don't let it get out in the press. I do not think his arrogant attitude would bode well with CNS in the long haul. SC can keep him.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

Well it appears that Clowney's mother did not get her wish. She wanted Clemson and JC chose SC like his grandfather wanted.

An exclusive inside look at the recruiting of No. 1 football prospect Jadeveon Clowney - College Football News | FOX Sports on MSN

Before the trip to Clemson, Josenna Clowney had wanted her son to go to South Carolina if it came down to the Gamecocks and Alabama. But during a Feb. 2 interview, she declared Alabama out of the race, from her perspective.

“I just didn’t feel comfortable,” Josenna Clowney said of Alabama. “Some of the people in Alabama was nice. I don’t want my son going there. I just didn’t feel like we fit in.”

With her trust in Swinney and belief that Clemson would be best for her son because it is farther away from home than South Carolina, Josenna Clowney had changed her opinion about where he should attend college.

“I’m leaning towards Clemson now,” she said during a Feb. 2 interview.