NFL: Andrew Luck, 10 best players to start a franchise
By Brad Rowland
J.J. Watt, Defensive End – Houston Texans
If Robert Quinn is the best 4-3 defensive end in the NFL, J.J. Watt is easily the best 3-4 defensive end, and perhaps the best defensive player in the entire league. It is hard to imagine that Watt just turned 25 years old given all that he has accomplished in Houston, and the numbers are staggering.
As a player who plays on the interior a great deal, the former Wisconsin defensive lineman exploded to the tune of 20.5 sacks in 2012, and he followed that up with 10.5 more in 2013 despite facing constant double and triple teams. More than that, though, Watt is the extremely rare case of a player who is absolutely elite in both the running game and passing game, and he is utterly unblockable at this stage of his career.
To be quite clear, J.J. Watt would likely be the top overall pick among all defensive players to build a team around, and if assured continued health, he can be penciled in for All-Pro honors for the foreseeable future.