Detroit Lions Should Be Rooting For Jadeveon Clowney To Go First Overall

Feb 24, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks Jadeveon Clowney looks on during the 2014 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

According to Adam Schefter the “prevailing thought around the league” is that the Texans are going to draft a defensive player, likely Khalil Mack or Jadeveon Clowney, or trade the first overall pick. If you’re a Lions fan, you should hope that defensive player is Jadeveon Clowney.

The Lions have held workouts or taken a close look at a number of first round prospects, but most signs indicate that the Lions will target an elite prospect with their first round pick. Targeting an elite prospect means that the Lions are likely going to have to trade up and nothing would work to the Lions advantage better than Clowney going first overall.

Some of you might think this is logic is counter intuitive because if he goes first overall then the Lions miss out on one of the elite prospects right?

Yes that’s true, but even though the Lions have worked Clowney out and would probably love to have Clowney, the fact of the matter is that he isn’t a realistic candidate for them. If you want to really think deeply about it, while Clowney may be an elite prospect, he’s really in a class of his own above the elite prospects. Therefor, the Lions should still have their top target on the board if Clowney is drafted first overall.

Let’s break down what can happen on draft day.

Texans Draft Clowney

If the Texans draft Clowney the Lions can orchestrate a trade with the Rams, who are looking to move down, for a price much cheaper than if he were still on the board. Trading with the Rams at two guarantees an opportunity to draft Sammy Watkins, who they covet, or someone like Khalil Mack or Greg Robinson.

Texans Draft A Player Other Than Clowney

If the Texans decide to go with Khalil Mack, or go in a completely different direction than what’s been reported, the Rams’ phone will be ringing off the hook for trades. In this case, the Lions would likely have to sit back and hope their target slips to four or five and re-evaluate trading up. This would result in the Lions zeroing in on the what’s left of the elite prospects.

Texans Trade First Overall Pick

If the Texans trade their first overall pick you can bet the suitor takes Jadeveon Clowney, which would result in a weaker trade market for the Lions to realistically trade up to the second overall pick.

The Lions can trade up at up at any point, but to guarantee their pick of the litter they need Jadeveon Clowney to go first overall.