Jadeveon Clowney to South Carolina: Where He Fits in Gamecocks Defense

Jadeveon Clowney, the top overall recruit in the country, announced this morning for South Carolina after delaying his decision on National Signing Day. He picked the Gamecocks over finalists Clemson and Alabama.

At 6'6", 250 pounds, Clowney played defensive end in high school at South Pointe (SC) and will look to remain there in Columbia. Will he? Or will he be asked to move to a different position?

South Carolina runs an interesting scheme. Let's take a look at where Clowney fits.

Clonwey's Makeup

Clowney is a 6'6", 250-pound specimen at defensive end. His speed and athleticism are off the charts, and he gets upfield in a hurry with an extremely quick first step. He is also very advanced in his hand usage and pass rush plan.

Clowney can convert speed to power very well in his rush and has a great burst to close and finish. He's also very strong and stout against the run and has strength to anchor on the edge. Clowney can shed blockers and has great range to pursue and chase all over the field.

There's not much he can't do, as this is one of the best prospects to enter college football in a long time.

South Carolina's Scheme

The Gamecocks have Steve Spurrier as their head coach, yet the defense is completely run by Ellis Johnson. Johnson has a ton of experience from various stops around the country and has the Gamecocks as a 4-2-5-style defense, with a mix of a 4-3 look.

A hybrid safety-outside linebacker is the key to this defensive alignment, which is called a "spur" in Columbia. This player bounces around from the back end to the second level, blitzes and covers.

This really doesn't affect Clowney, as he will be a defensive front player at all times in this defense, not a linebacker.

Where Does Clowney Fit?

Right where he is best at: on the edge, particularly the strong side.

Many times in high school football we see defensive ends who are good pass rushers, and all they use is speed. Thus we label them good pass rushers, and they are best suited for the weak side.

Clowney is rare in the sense of, to start, he has a solid arsenal of moves to beat a blocker, yet he is big and strong enough to play the run very effectively. Look for Clowney to become a strong side defensive end in South Carolina's 40 front defensive line.

How Soon Can He See the Field?

I'd be shocked if Clowney redshirted and probably equally as shocked if he is not a first starter by the middle of the season. Really, Clowney likely will be an opening game starter.

First, South Carolina's depth chart at the defensive end position is not particularly strong, and the incumbents do not have the athleticism, speed and sheer competitiveness that is on Clowney's level.

I know he is just going to be a true freshman, but he's a special player any way you slice it. He'll be on the field early and often for South Carolina, making his grandmother's dream a reality.

Qualifying Questions?

There was a report out recently saying that Clowney is a long shot to qualify and be eligible to play in college. In his final interview before his decision late last week, Clowney stated that he was upset about this and called the report "untrue."

His high school coach, Bobby Carroll, has gone to say the report is false and that Clowney will have zero problems qualifying. His schoolwork and grades are on par, it sounds like, so barring some unforeseen events, Clowney should have no problems qualifying to be accepted into South Carolina.