The growing consensus is Jadeveon Clowney will be the first pick in the 2014 NFL draft. Clowney will go first to the Houston Texans and Johnny Manziel will be the first quarterback drafted, according to the latest mock draft from ESPN's Mel Kiper.
Clowney's pro day did wonders for his already high draft stock. Scouts and analysts across the board were impressed by his speed and athleticism, including Kiper.
Kiper released his latest draft on Thursday, in which Clowney rose from No. 3 to No. 1.
"Quarterback is obviously a big need, but I'm simply not willing to forgo the high likelihood of stardom for Clowney -- at a critical position no less -- for the risk associated with taking one of the available quarterbacks so high," Kiper wrote. "It's simply too big a leap in terms of value on my draft board.
"I'm not going to worry about system fit. Romeo Crennel and Bill O'Brien are smart enough to find a way for Clowney to be effective -- and he will be special."
Manziel also took a leap in Kiper's latest draft, moving from No. 8 to No. 4 and becoming the first quarterback drafted.
"Here's where I take the plunge at quarterback. For one, while Manziel is a boom-or-bust proposition, he's exactly the type of QB who doesn't give a, um, darn about the bad QB history in Cleveland," wrote Kiper. "In fact, it will just push him."
Kiper also points to Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer still being on the roster, which would give Manziel time to develop first as a backup.
Below are Kiper's first ten picks:
1. Jadeveon Clowney (DE) - Houston.
2. Sammy Watkins (WR) - St. Louis.
3. Khalil Mack (LB) - Jacksonville.
4. Johnny Manziel (QB) - Cleveland.
5. Greg Robinson (OT) - Oakland.
6. Jake Matthews (OT) - Atlanta.
7. Mike Evans (WR) - Tampa Bay.
8. Blake Bortles (QB) - Minnesota.
9. Taylor Lewan (OT) - Buffalo.
10. Justin Gilbert (CB) - Detroit.
The NFL draft begins on Thursday, May 8.
