:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/29164623/105197254.0.jpg)
Currently a columnist at ESPN, Jason Whitlock has never shied away from sharing his opinions. Often, these opinions rankle his readers. I imagine the following opinion, shared by Whitlock on Twitter, will elicit a reaction from football fans, including but not limited to those who support the holders of the first overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Clowney doesn't care about football. He doesn't love the game. His attitude is offensive to guys who lived it and loved it. #warrensapp
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) February 24, 2014
Clowney smells like Randy Moss 2.0. Problem is you can't be Randy Moss on the defensive line. Too much talent is a curse.
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) February 24, 2014
Let me repeat: Clowney is Randy Moss. If he played tight end/receiver, Clowney is a HOFer. Playing defense he's an enigma.
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) February 25, 2014
Now I do love the idea of pairing him with JJ Watt. Damn, that would be special on the downs Clowney decided to play.
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) February 25, 2014
My point is big talent can compensate for inconsistent effort at WR but not at DE RT @zmaaaag: Moss is still a Hall of Famer though
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) February 25, 2014
If nothing else, I appreciate the comparison of Clowney to Moss purely for the reason that it's not one I've seen before. Jadeveon Clowney is often compared to Mario Williams, Julius Peppers, and even Lawrence Taylor (though the latter comparison, at least in this piece, is more akin to "Jadeveon Clowney is no Lawrence Taylor"). Randy Moss? Haven't seen that yet. It's original.
How about the idea that a talent such as Moss or Clowney can thrive at wide receiver but not on the defensive line? Or is that little more than sophistry?
Does it even matter? As a Texans fan, would you be excited about Houston spending the first overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft on a defensive player as talented as Randy Moss was on offense, regardless of questions about Clowney's effort?
Answer those questions and discuss as you see fit below.