Jadeveon Clowney - #1 DE - Part 2

The next game I watched was Jadeveon Clowney vs. Missouri. This took place the week after the Tennessee game on October 26, 2013. Here is the game:

Much of the same from Jadeveon Clowney in this game. At the start of the game he was clearly one of the first people off the block at the snap. Additionally, he does a great job of using his hands to shed blocks. He's also got several moves including the ability to bull rush, over power the lineman, a swim move, and a spin move. This allows him to be a disruptive playmaker who can consistently take on and beat double teams.

However, when he is clearly beat, he doesn't do a good job of consistently getting his hands up on passing plays. And when he was double teamed consistently, he seemed to get frustrated and slowed down a bit. Maybe it was fatigue, but he just didn't seem to be as motivated. Finally, by the end of the game, Missouri was killing them by running at Jadeveon Clowney's side. I think it was because he likes to over pursue too much. 

The final game was the first game this season. SC v. UNC:

Again, it's much of the same, but I think you'll notice that he consistently favors beating the OT to the outside. He's strong enough and quick enough to beat the OT on the inside, but for whatever reason, he likes to rely on the edges. You'll also notice his aggression puts him offsides in each of the games I've listed. I think he really needs to become more aware and not consistently rely on his athletic ability to beat teams upfield. NFL teams are going to take advantage of this. However, he is still an elite pass rusher who can line up at any position on the field. 

My overall impressions of Clowney are that he is an elite level pass rusher. This guy deserves to be a top 10 pick. However, he needs to work on his aggressiveness. He seems to be enamored with sacks and pressures, which allows teams to beat him on plays to his edge and screens. He really needs to work on getting his hands up on passing plays where he is clearly beat as well. He is athletic enough to be a top tier NFL Defensive End for years to come and I would say he definitely will be. I was honestly hoping I wouldn't like what I saw, but he is a beast. He reminds me of a young Julius Peppers. I think the sky is the limit for him as he has all the abilities you'd want: size, strength, speed, acceleration, agility, burst. I think the only thing missing is a commitment to mastering his craft. My guess is he will be a 12-14 sack guy if he decides to commit to setting his edge and playing the run. He may get more sacks if he doesn't but he won't be as effective of a player. There you have it, my first player scouted.