Jadeveon Clowney to start for Texans in preseason opener?

Jul 26, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (90) practices during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 26, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (90) practices during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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The preseason openers are a time when many teams around the NFL hold out their stars on offense and defense in an effort to prevent injury or to give their stars additional time to recover from any bumps or bruises suffered in the opening days of training camp, but the Houston Texans may take a different approach with Jadeveon Clowney.

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Clowney, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft underwent surgery in June to repair a sports hernia and missed three days of practice earlier this week with an apparent leg injury suffered in Saturday’s session, but after returning on Thursday, Clowney hopes to not only play in the preseason opener, but to start for the Texans.

While Clowney hopes to be in the starting lineup at outside linebacker, Texans first-year head coach Bill O’Brien did his best to keep that hope understated as he expressed some doubts and kept us in the dark until the game officially kicks off.

"“He’ll start? Really?” O’Brien said, via CSNHouston.com. “That’s news to me. We’ll find out when the game starts.”"

Should the Texans play it safe with the No. 1 overall pick out of South Carolina who has as much hype surrounding him as any defensive player in recent memory and keep him on the sidelines where Arian Foster and Andre Johnson will be, or should they throw him out there and see what he can do?

If it were me, I would throw Clowney out there and let him get acclimated to his new position and see what I had in the first overall pick in the draft.