If the St. Louis Rams are at all serious about drafting a defensive end with the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft when the club already has one of the NFL's top defensive end combinations, Friday could prove crucial for Jadeveon Clowney's draft fate. The star pass rusher from South Carolina will visit the club Friday, according to NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport, via Twitter.
The Rams' pass-rushing duo of Robert Quinn and Chris Long is among the NFL's best and combined for 27.5 sacks last year. Pass rushing is Clowney's specialty, so there wouldn't appear to be a fit from a need perspective. Still, head coach Jeff Fisher recently commented, with regard to Clowney, that an NFL team can never have enough pass rushers.
If the Houston Texans pass on Clowney with the top pick, the Rams' leverage in trading the pick to a team in greater need of a pass rusher depends somewhat on how many potential trade partners are convinced St. Louis is willing to draft him themselves. From that perspective, hosting Clowney for a visit makes plenty of sense, even if the club is more inclined to draft an offensive tackle, as has been speculated.
Clowney was in Jacksonville Thursday for a visit with the Jaguars, who pick No. 3 overall, and was in a particularly jovial mood.
As the player many NFL clubs covet most of all, who wouldn't be?
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