2011 NFL Draft: A Case for the Houston Texans To Take Da'Quan Bowers

Going down the list of needs for the Texans entering into the NFL Draft, it won't take you long before you get to a hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker who can rush the passer.

Not only was the Texans pass-rush again sub-par last season, but a player that can bounce between the two positions is an important part of any successful 3-4 defense.

The best news for the Texans is that there are a ton of guys in this draft that fit that description. There are probably several different players that can fill the need admirably for the franchise.

I'm here to tell you that the Texans should look no further than Da'Quan Bowers from Clemson.

Bowers led the nation in sacks last season with 16. That's four times more than he had in his freshman and sophomore seasons combined. With that effort, Bowers was named the 2010 ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

At 6'4" and 277 pounds, Bowers has the size to blow offensive lineman off the line of scrimmage.

Having run the 40-yard dash in as fast as 4.76 seconds, Bowers also has the speed to make plays in space as a linebacker.

Bowers' best traits, though, might be the things that can't be measured or timed.

Bowers played his junior season coming off the death of his father.

It would have been perfectly acceptable for Bowers to struggle on the field. It's tough enough to be successful in college football without dealing with the grief of losing your father.

Bowers chose to use the situation as fuel. Bowers said that his father told him on his death bed that he had the talent to be the most dominant defensive player in the history of Clemson football.

While I'm not a Clemson football historian, I think it's safe to say that Bowers did his part to make that come true.

During the season, there was talk that Bowers could go as high as first overall, depending on who ended up with the first pick. Thanks to a knee injury, those talks have quieted and now Bowers has fallen, likely to the middle of the first round.

If Bowers' knee checks out and those red flags clear, Bowers is still worthy of a top five pick. Pass rushers like him don't come along very often.

The fact that there are other pass rushers ranked ahead of him on most draft boards, likely helps the Texans.

Von Miller will surely go first and many have guys like Robert Quinn and Aldon Smith ahead of Bowers. Pass-rush-hungry teams picking ahead of the Texans might scoop these guys up first, leaving Bowers on the board for the Texans.

Taking Bowers with the eleventh pick in the first round might seem like a risk to some. I'd grant you that it would seem like a reach, but if I'm reaching for a player, I want it to be a guy with the grit and determination of Da'Quan Bowers.