Should Tennessee Titans Trade Up For Jadeveon Clowney?
Sep 7, 2013; Athens, GA, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (7) walks on the field in between plays in the first half against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
I have been exploring the far reaches of Tennessee Titans fandom today to gather up any scoops on what some Titans fans want to see as something that could be feasible. To my surprise, no really I am still jaw-dropped right now, I saw a few Titans fans commenting that the Tennessee Titans should make a move to trade-up and select Jadeveon Clowney with the first overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
My initial reaction was what are Titans fans thinking? We are already down a third round pick and trying to waste more to draft Clowney simply does not make sense. Holding out until the 11th pick or trading down to accumulate more picks makes entirely more sense. However, I sat and pondered the question of why Titans fans would ever want to make such a bold move to acquire Clowney?
Then it hits me…Clowney is a monster. Clowney is a 5-star, once in a blue moon caliber type of player. This is a guy that is REALLY hard to pass up when draft time rolls around and he fits a HUGE need for the Tennessee Titans.
So the real question now lingers…is Clowney a viable reason for the Titans to trade-up?
As stated before, he fits a HUGE need for the Titans and could step in immediately and play a huge part in the Titans defensive scheme. Clowney is also a prospect that you just can’t pass up on as well if the opportunity presents itself.
We have seen his ability on the field, both when he is an absolute beast and when he kind of just skates along. Overall though you can’t deny his ability and his so called “work ethic” is not a reason to not draft him. Multiple reasons could have restrained his play this year and him coming back and playing at all instead of skipping out shows me enough of his dedication.
His stats at the NFL Combine have been ridiculous as well and he is everything people expect him to be and more. Just take a look at the “Jadeveon Clowney Show” that people are calling the combine here. The guy is an absolute freak of nature. Having him as a part of the Titans defense would make me ecstatic.
Another justification for trying to trade-up to draft him is that we may not want to see him go to a team within our own division. Houston and Jacksonville are both picking ahead of us and Clowney could be a viable option for either of those teams. If you don’t want him in the AFC South for years to come playing against us it could be another reason to try and bring him to Nashville.
Ultimately, the real question behind whether or not the Tennessee Titans should pursue Clowney is whether or not they can justify sacrificing future picks for him or not. It may be worth it to hold out and draft what is best available, but then again Clowney may be worth the investment for the future. With a third round pick out now as well, it is even harder to justify taking a gamble on him on a trade-up.
In the end, if it was down to me, I would be very hesitant pursing the idea of a trade-up to draft Clowney. Not because of his ability or because of what he could bring to the Titans, but because the Titans simply cannot afford to give up any more draft picks, current or future.
The idea, however, in itself is intriguing and one that really stirs the emotions in the pot when it comes to the Titans first overall pick.
Agree with me or disagree with me? Think the Titans should go all out to get Clowney? Should we just leave him alone? Let me know what you think in the comments, via Facebook, or via Twitter @Titan_Sized or to me personally @NPitak.