State your case: Who should the Houstan Texans take with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft?
The Houston Texans should draft Johnny Manziel.
There are many reasons why this is a suitable choice for their franchise. First of all, the local Manziel will bring fans to a Houston franchise starving for attention. Jersey sales, ticket sales and media coverage will all increase with the drafting of Johnny Football.
Second, as of right now the Texans have three quarterbacks on the roster. None of them are starters. Ryan Fitzpatrick is 31 and past his prime. Some may argue Case Keenum can start, but he threw six interceptions and just two touchdowns in his last five starts. T.J. Yates is completely irrelevant as a starter; not even an option.
They need a quarterback.
Third, Manziel has shown he is a competitor and he has what it takes to win football games. He won the Heisman as a freshman and he only lost six games in his college career. Simply put, he has the “it” factor.
Johnny Manziel is ready to be the face of an NFL franchise.
If drafted by the Texans, he will be going into a fully loaded offense with the likes of Pro Bowl running back Arian Foster, Pro Bowl wide receiver Andre Johnson and an experienced offensive line. The only missing link is a quarterback.
Coming off of a two-win season, the Texans need to draft Johnny Manziel.
It’s either that or get used to losing.
– kalen.taylor@gmail.com
Twitter: @kalen_taylor
“He’s athletic enough. He’s got enough speed and explosiveness and change ability, all those things that you look for.”
Those are the words Texans general manager Rick Smith used to describe defensive end Jadeveon Clowney following South Carolina’s pro day on Tuesday.
Clowney proved in his pro day performance his ability to play outside linebacker, a critical factor in determining his compatibility with Houston’s 3-4 defensive scheme.
Despite the media circus surrounding Johnny Manziel, seeing Clowney’s 6-foot-5, 266-pound frame lining up next to Pro Bowler J.J. Watt on defense is too tempting of a prospect to pass up.
Houston’s 2013 season crashed and burned before ever really getting off the ground, finishing with a miserable 2-14 record just one year after winning 12 games and the AFC South. But an impact player like Clowney could reverse the Texans’ fortunes in a hurry, especially in a relatively weak division.
Drafting Clowney guarantees a dynamic defense and there’s nobody in the draft who can match his athleticism. If Houston’s goal is to draw media attention and maybe sell some jerseys, then they can pass on Clowney and settle for Manziel instead. But if the franchise wants to be a playoff contender, Clowney is the best option.
– logan.jones@aggiemail.usu.edu
Twitter: @Logantj