BEING drafted first overall is no guarantee of success, as has proven the case for one former Pro Bowler.
Jadeveon Clowney, 30, has been a free agent since being released in March by the Cleveland Browns.
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A South Carolina native, Clowney went on to star for the Gamecocks at off the edge.
A two-time First-Team All-American and two-time First-Team All-SEC member, Clowney was also the 2012 SEC Defensive Player of the Year and the 2012 Ted Hendricks Award winner.
In three seasons in the SEC, he racked up an impressive 24 sacks and 47 tackles for a loss.
Looking to create a powerful one-two-punch together with three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt, the Houston Texans selected Clowney first overall in 2014.
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Injuries hampered Clowney early on, leading him to make just four appearances as a rookie.
He played in 58 games during the next four seasons, racking up 29 sacks, and 146 combined tackles, including 61 for a loss.
Clowney reached three consecutive Pro Bowls between 2016 and 2018 and was named a Second-Team All-Pro once.
After being placed under the franchise tag ahead of the 2019 season, the Texans traded Clowney to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for linebackers Jacob Martin, Barkevious Mingo, and a third-round pick.
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Clowney spent just one year in Seattle, making 13 appearances and recording just three sacks, before heading to the Tennessee Titans on a one-year deal, where he was reunited with former Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel.
This too didn't quite pan out for Clowney, who failed to record a sack in eight games before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
Next up for Clowney was a move to the Browns where he spent two years, recording eleven sacks in 26 games.
But his time in Ohio ended abruptly after he made a series of comments criticizing the Browns in an interview with Cleveland.com.
Clowney accused Cleveland of prioritizing defensive end Myles Garrett's performances over his, saying: "You're all trying to get somebody into the Hall of Fame when all that matters is winning.
"Everybody got here for a reason, and we can all make plays. I know I am."
He later added that he didn't "even think (Garrett) notices" their positional switches, supposedly giving the former easier match-ups.
"I ain't trying to say it's him. I try to get along with everybody I play with.
"Me and him don't have a problem. It ain't his fault. It's just B.S., and I don't have time for it."
Clowney also added that he was "95 percent sure I won't be back (next season)" - and he was right.
He was benched for their last game of the season before being released.
As for his next step, Clowney indicated in May he would be interested in a return to where it all started.
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He told Houston-based Fox affiliate KRIV that a return to Houston would "be nice" and that he was "a big fan of their new head coach (DeMeco Ryans)."
However, two months later and Clowney remains a free agent as training camps around the league approach.
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