2011's No. 1 Overall Recruit Jadeveon Clowney Picks His Top Two Schools

Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, the No. 1 prospect in the country lists two choices above the rest of the pack. When asked what his top two choices were earlier this week he didn't hesitate.

"Alabama and South Carolina," He said while also noting that neither had an advantage right now.

So, Clowney can either stay in his home state of South Carolina and play for the Gamecocks under Steve Spurrier, or he can head over to Alabama and hook up with the Crimson Tide and coach Nick Saban.

And that leaves out the possibility he goes to North Carolina and bypasses both programs.

The choice is a complex one, and Clowney doesn't expect to make it until he's had all of his official visits. That means we probably won't be hearing an announcement until close to National Signing Day, if not after.

So, which of these two schools have more to offer the Rock Hill native? Where will he develop his talents the best and where will he hit the field first? These are just some of many questions that must be answered throughout this process.

Let's check out the situation and see who has really has the edge to land Clowney, South Carolina or Alabama.

Playing Time

South Carolina's defensive line will be anchored by senior Cliff Matthews in 2010 after heavy losses in the offseason, which included defensive tackle Nathan Pepper and defensive end Clifton Geathers. The other defensive ends on the roster are young and inexperienced.

Clowney would be walking into a near guaranteed starting position as a true freshman, competing against much less heralded talents in 2011 after Matthews is gone. It would be shocking if two of the remaining defensive ends were able to best him in training camp.

At Alabama, the immediate question circles around how Clowney would fit into the defense. If he's going to play defensive end, it would likely mean a redshirt year to bulk up and wait for the talent base to thin out. But he'd still have a battle on his hands for playing time in 2012.

If they plan to use him as an outside linebacker, that redshirt year might be avoided, but Clowney wouldn't be in the mix for too much playing time besides special teams. Alabama might have even more talent in their linebacker corps, including 2011 five-star recruit Brent Calloway.

Edge: South Carolina

Interior Defensive Line Support

It's the job of defensive ends and nose tackles to clog up the middle of the field and take the heat off of the defensive ends and linebackers. If you aren't getting enough of a push up front, then the interior offensive lineman will own the line of scrimmage and open up highways on running plays.

Once that happens, the flood gates open. That's the man reason, more than anything, why a team needs solid big bodies in the middle of their defensive line; especially in the 3-4, where the nose tackle is the key to the entire scheme.

At Alabama, that punishing nose tackle isn't currently on the roster; unless you've banking on Brandon Ivory to develop down the line. With Terrance Cody departing for the NFL this off-season, the Tide have serious questions to answer in the middle.

The situation isn't as murky at South Carolina. You have two defensive tackles to share the burden rather than it falling solely on one man's shoulders the way it does in a 3-4. There's enough talent and depth on Gamecocks roster to keep you from panicking.

Edge: South Carolina

Defensive Scheme

It gets tricky from this perspective because both schools offer such a completely different defensive outlook. It's the Alabama 3-4 vs. the South Carolina 4-3; a hand in the ground or standing tall on the outside.

The truth is Clowney fits into both systems well and is such a gifted and athletic pass-rusher that you can bet his responsibilities would be centered around that skill regardless of where he lined up.

At 6'5" and 235 lbs, he fits the mold of a pass-rushing outside linebacker in Saban's 3-4 or a pass-rushing defensive end in Spurrier's 4-3. Both schemes would call for him to utilize his skills in much the same way, though he'd be more familiar with the defensive end stance and likely progress faster there.

I'll go out on a limb here and say that Clowney is a terrible fit for defensive end in a 3-4; if he goes to Alabama, its to play linebacker. That sparks the thought of how hard it will be for any offensive line to deal with Clowney and Brent Calloway bringing the heat on both sides of the line; it's really a perfect combination.

Edge: Alabama

Secondary Support

Every good pass-rusher needs help in the secondary in order to be effective. If the defensive backs aren't able to cover their receivers, the opposing quarterback will continually pick them apart and make it nearly impossible for guys like Clowney to do what they do best.

When the pass coverage is good though, the quarterback is forced to hold onto that ball longer and wait as he searches for an open target. That extra one or two seconds can often be all a pass-rusher needs to turn a hurry into a sack.

The term "coverage sack" is just that. It's one you can thank the secondary for because the quarterback had no choice but to give you the time you needed to get to him.

South Carolina has a special corner in Stephon Gilmore, but their secondary doesn't match the depth and overall talent of Alabama's; the Tide are stacked back there and are setting themselves up to have excellent pass coverage for years.

Edge: Alabama

Coaching Staff and Development

It's a tale of two titans when you're discussing Nick Saban and Steve Spurrier. Both have such impressive resumes and histories of developing players, not just on the field, but as men as well.

These are two of the most well respected men in the game, and each have solid supporting staffs surrounding them to drive their message home to the young players.

Both programs have proven capable of developing talent for the next level and while you could argue that Alabama has had significantly more players selected in the NFL draft lately, they've also had more talent to work with.

A great prospect like Cloweny would get a first-class coaching experience at either program, and it would be hard for one or the other to draw more attention in this regard.

Edge: Push

Facilities

South Carolina's Williams-Brice Stadium is one of the better home fields in the SEC, but Alabama's Bryant–Denny Stadium is a college football landmark. With seating for over 100,000 fans, it's the eighth-largest non-racing stadium in the world.

The champions and traditions that have become part of that building are untouchable and have led to one of the most prominent boosters' clubs in the country.

That type of support has lead to over $120 million spend since 2004 in stadium renovations to expand seating as well as generally needed upgrades. In comparison, South Carolina has spend roughly $30 million in the last ten years in renovations at Williams-Brice Stadium.

When it comes to training facilities, Alabama has what many have called the best weight room and training facility in the country. The 20,000-plus square feet on-campus facility is state-of-the-art and literally overs the program everything they need for training.

Edge: Alabama

Fanbase and Location

Alabama has sold out every single home game since 1988 and presents one of the richest traditions in all of college football. South Carolina fans are usually left with standing room only at home games, and the atmosphere at William-Brice Stadium has been voted best in the conference by SECsports.com in 2005 and 2007.

It's Tuscaloosa against Columbia, two college towns that have been the home of many a student for over a century. The fans of these programs are diehards and as loyal as they come.

The Crimson Tide faithful are some of the most knowledgeable and passionate fans you'll find for any sport, period. The Gamecock loyal have supported their program with nearly as much vigour when their team puts up a 7-6 record; it's easier to cheer when you win a national championship.

It's a close call, but South Carolina gets the home state advantage. The Gamecocks have been recruiting kids out of Rock Hill for a very long time and from a location standpoint, the advantage is theirs.

Edge: South Carolina

National Exposure

When you're coming off a National Championship, the whole country is watching you, but will they still be watching in 2011 through 2014? Those are the years Clowney would be on campus.

Unless Alabama has has serious drop-off in production and fades out of the picture in the SEC, which is highly unlikely, they'll remain in the national spotlight, in the discussion for SEC championships, in contention for BSC bowls, and recognizable around the country.

That exposure is huge for NFL prospects, bigger than you'd think. NFL teams will go with programs and players they know before going for an unknown; and like the rest of us, they're susceptible to hype.

If Clowney wants to get noticed, if he wants to be in the spotlight throughout his career and be a player everyone talks about late in seasons, Alabama has the clear advantage.

Edge: Alabama

2011 Recruiting Class

Alabama is putting together one of the top recruiting classes in the country, ranked first in the SEC at the moment and well rounded with a lot of talent on both sides of the ball.

The school is continuing exactly what the school has been doing ever since Nick Saban took over the head coaching job; they're bringing top quality, elite talent, and getting better by the year.

The pieces they have lined up for 2011 compliment Clowney's skills rather than compete with him. And as previously stated, he and Brent Calloway would be a deadly combination at strong side and weak side linebacker. Add in a safety like Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix cleaning things up behind them, and the outlook is great for the Tide.

South Carolina has seven total commitments and no one rated higher than three stars in their class.

Edge: Alabama

Overall Edge

If Clowney were to stay in South Carolina and attend USC, he'd be the focal point of an average defense and get starters minutes for a solid four years, but would likely miss out on the chance for a major bowl game throughout his career.

At Alabama, he'd wait his turn, which wouldn't take too long, and then have the chance to make a name for himself as one of the top players on one of the nation's top defenses. He'd get serious national recognition as well as the chance to compete year-in and year-out for the SEC title.

Both of these programs can offer him the chance to develop his game, and with the NFL set as his ultimate goal, you could argue that he'd reach the same destination regardless of which means he chose to travel there.

At Alabama, the ride will be smoother, and if he performs, the hype will be louder. He very well could be the next great Crimson Tide defender and earn himself the type of recognition that simply isn't available at South Carolina.

So, does he want to stay near home and start for an average team or wait his turn and have a superior chance for glory at one of the hottest programs in the country right now?

Edge: Alabama