Houston Texans Rumors: 3 edge players to target in draft if Clowney hits market

Brian Burns, Florida State University

If the Houston Texans wanted to replace Clowney early, whether he just walks or the team trades him elsewhere, a guy that they should target is Brian Burns out of Florida State. Burns was highly touted out of high school and signed to play at a school that had been known for defense.

Burns has always been billed as a speed and bend pass rusher and that translated to solid production at FSU. He has tremendous length to pair with very good athleticism. This saw him put up 23 sacks and 38.5 tackles for loss in three years as a Seminole.

He has a wide array of pass rushing moves and doesn’t just stick to one move whether it is working or not. He has a very good spin move and a very good swim move amongst other things. This consistently pops up in his play. He also has excellent hand placement and usage that allows him to beat offensive linemen regularly.

The combine will be important for Burns draft stock. He has good size but it is believed he’ll need to gain weight to be a consistent, every-down player in the NFL. If he can weigh in around 250 while standing at 6’5″ and keeping his athleticism, he may not even make it to the Houston Texans at 23 overall.

Burns could easily replace Clowney’s production both in the passing game and the run game. He’s a very good player and has a skill set that translates well to the next level. He could step into the starting lineup with out the defense missing a beat.