Houston Texans’ pick at No. 1 remains wide open; report suggests GM prefers Khalil Mack to Jadeveon Clowney

The speculation about the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft is, once again, wide open.

At the start of the laborious draft process, the choice for the Houston Texans was a quarterback. Whether it was the local Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M, the high-upside Blake Bortles of Central Florida or the immediacy of Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater, the Texans were connected to each at one point or another.

Then it shifted over to South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. Then the feeling vacillated back to the quarterbacks, briefly to Buffalo outside linebacker Khalil Mack and most recently back to Clowney.

Now, it’s anyone’s guess what Houston is going to do. It’s fair to say Houston probably doesn’t even know at this point. That makes any speculation about the Texans telling Clowney he was the choice irresponsible, and downright lazy. In the latest mock draft from ESPN’s Mel Kiper, the choice was Clowney for Houston. Reporter John McClain of the Houston Chronicle had it the same way.

In his Monday Morning Quarterback column this week, Peter King twists things yet again for Houston. He reports that a friend of Rick Smith said the Texans general manager prefers Mack to Clowney.

King then goes on to speculate that Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson would be the “sure thing” choice.

Of course, clouding all of the speculation is Texans owner Bob McNair, a South Carolina alum. In January, McNair referred to Clowney as “remarkable.”

“He is a remarkable player,” McNair said. “He’s one of these players that’s really a once-in-every-10-years kind of physical specimen that comes along.”

The Texans have 17 more days to decide on the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. It may take all 17 of them to come to a consensus.