Jadeveon Clowney is considered the best prospect in the 2014 NFL Draft by most, but that doesn't mean he's a lock to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick.
The Houston Texans, owner of the top pick, have a bit of a need at quarterback if you haven't heard. Right behind them, the Rams are pretty set at the defensive end spot with Chris Long and Robert Quinn.
Each could easily take the best player available and wind up with a productive pass rusher in Clowney for the next several seasons. Or they could pass on him and go a different direction.
But what about the quarterback-needy Jaguars, who pick third overall? What's the chance they also bypass on the player atop NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah's list of best prospects?
"Zero," Charles Davis said on NFL Network's "Path to the Draft" on Monday. "I'm not even going to hesitate on that -- zero. Gus Bradley, the defensive-minded head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars who came from Seattle and watched them win the Super Bowl this year? No way he lets Jadeveon Clowney slide past him at three. He'll be very creative in how he uses him, too."
While saying the Jaguars wouldn't pass on a player like Clowney isn't exactly going out on a limb, we've seen plenty of other teams do strange things on draft night. In fact, Jeremiah made the point it would be strange to even see Jacksonville in position to add a player of that caliber this year.
"Jadeveon Clowney, in my opinion, shouldn't go past the first overall pick," he said. "If for some reason he got out of the top three picks, I think teams will regret it. The Jaguars have added some pieces ... but none of them are close to the talent that Jadeveon Clowney brings. If you're in a division with Andrew Luck, you need to get after the quarterback."
The team did have plenty of cap space this offseason and went about fortifying the front seven with Ziggy Hood, Red Bryant, Chris Clemons and others. If you look long term however, it appears most of the options for Bradley's defense will not be in Jacksonville long term.
Enter Clowney -- if he gets to them.
"If he gets all the way down to three with Jacksonville, that means Houston is probably taking a quarterback at No. 1, likely Blake Bortles," Davis said. "At two and St. Louis, we don't know what they're going to do, because they have a chance to trade out of that pick. It's unlikely, but they'd be smart to consider him."
With the natural talent Clowney has and highlights like this, the Texans and Rams would indeed be smart to take the South Carolina defensive end and make life a bit more difficult for the Jaguars with their first-round pick.
Follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter @BryanDFischer.
