There’s a lot of hype that comes with being drafted first overall, but it is nothing new for Jadeveon Clowney.
He entered the 2013 season with some calling him one of the best collegiate defensive players in memory and his blend of size and speed was making people prone to hyperbole long before that point. That’s given him a clear idea about how to handle the outside noise that will accompany him in his first year as a professional.
“You just have to go out there and play,’' Clowney said, via Newsday. “It’s football. It’s not a science test or something I hate ... I’ve been playing for a while. It’s not that hard.”
Getting out there and playing has been easier said than done for Clowney thus far. He missed some offseason work after having sports hernia surgery and said last week that he remains hopeful that he’ll get the green light to join his teammates on the field for the start of training camp. Once he does, he’ll continue a process of transitioning from college defensive end to pro outside linebacker that the team hopes won’t prove to be as difficult as a biology exam.