(Coomer/Chron)
Jadeveon Clowney says he still has 'a long way to go'
By Aaron Wilson
The distance from the hardscrabble street where Jadeveon Clowney grew up and became an iconic high school football player to the Carolina Panthers' stadium is just 27 miles.
Although traveling from Carolina Avenue in Clowney's hometown of Rock Hill, S.C. to Bank of America Stadium in downtown Charlotte, N.C., is only a short drive, it's been a challenging life journey for the Texans' towering outside linebacker to reach this point as an NFL player who holds vast potential.
Clowney has endured microfracture knee surgery, a less serious meniscus knee procedure along with a sports hernia surgery over the past year. Clowney avoided the trouble in Rock Hill that found many of his friends along with his imprisoned father, David "Chilli Bean" Morgan.
And Clowney has adeptly dealt with the hype and scrutiny that accompanies being a celebrated top overall pick out of South Carolina famous for a crushing tackle on Michigan running back Vincent Smith where the impact of the blow sent his helmet flying through the air.
As the owner of a fully guaranteed $22.272 million contract that included a $14.518 million signing bonus, Clowney is learning how to deal with the business of sports, including endorsements and investments.
Little, if anything, ever seems to faze Clowney, a playful, laid-back, dread-locked 22-year-old who's a natural at compartmentalizing his life and football. Clowney acknowledged he'll probably take a short moment before kickoff Sunday against the Panthers to reflect on how far he's come.
"Yeah, but I've still got a long way to go," Clowney said. "I've got to still keep getting better and better. My game is coming around. I'm working harder than I ever did, but I've got a long way to go. I'm always happy regardless of what's going on. I stay happy."
Raised by a single mother, Josenna Clowney, who worked double shifts at a local Frito-Lay factory, Jadeveon Clowney has an easy smile and enjoys pulling pranks on Texans teammates. That includes sticking pencils in the seat of middle linebacker Brian Cushing in the linebacker meeting room.
Nicknamed everything from JD, an abbreviation of his name, to Doo-Doo after an old rap song his mother liked, to simply being called by his last name, Clowney grew up in rough circumstances. His mother worked tirelessly to put food on the table, shoes on his feet and clothes on his back, nurturing her son while he became a legendary high school player who excelled as an unusually tall tailback while doubling as an uncommonly dominant pass rusher.
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Raised in a town with a population of roughly 68,000, Clowney started playing football at a young age and was so much bigger than his fellow youngsters that his coaches kept copies of his birth certificate handy in case they were challenged about how old he was.
"Jadeveon is just a good dude," said Bobby Carroll, Clowney's high school football coach at South Pointe High School where he became an All-American high school player whose highlight tape remains a viral Internet sensation. "He defied the odds. He could have used all kinds of excuses about his home life. His mother and grandfather worked extremely hard to raise him, and it's all paid off.
"It's an American success story. When mom's at work, there's a lot of idle time, but Clowney stayed active in sports. It will be such a proud moment Sunday. It's a dream come true."
Clowney's father is a convicted felon who served almost a dozen years in prison for robbing a check cashing business when his son was 2. When his father was released from prison, Clowney was 14 and they spent time together and began to build a bond.
David Morgan remains in jail without bond after being arrested and charged with attempted murder and weapons charges after being arrested after an Aug. 4 shooting at a Rock Hill strip club. Morgan allegedly got into a confrontation with a strip club employee after being ordered to get off the stage. Morgan and the employee exchanged several rounds of gunfire in the parking lot with Morgan sustaining a gunshot wound in his shoulder, according to police reports.
"Of course I was disappointed, sad for him because that's my dad, for one, and you don't want nothing like that to happen to nobody in your family," Clowney said this week. "He's in the situation. There's nothing I can do about it. I've just got to keep doing what I can do, take care of what I can take care of."
With his father absent for most of his childhood, Clowney's cousin, Jemel, became a guiding figure for him. Unfortunately, his cousin is also now in jail.
Clowney said he maintained his focus on school and sports to avoid problems.
"I ran with a group of guys, some guys wound up in jail, some wound up getting shot," Clowney said. "For some reason, I just kept making it higher and higher in life and I'm doing fine.
"It was rough. I grew up and my dad wasn't there. My older cousin took his place. I grew up wanting to be just like him. I turned out pretty good."
Marty Sumichrast is a longtime family friend and mentor to Clowney. He first met him when Clowney was a sophomore in high school, describing him as a tall, scrawny kid still finding his way.
Sumichrast likes to tell friends he has four kids in Charlotte, and that his fifth child lives in Houston. He characterizes Clowney as an old-school Southern gentleman.
"For all that he's gone through, to do what he's done is unbelievable," said Sumichrast, who advises Clowney on everything from life to financial matters. "The reality is that, as great a football player as he is, he's a better person. I'm the gatekeeper. I'm the guy who says, 'No.' I think JD has the potential to be a hell of a businessman. He has that it factor.'
When he's seeking advice, Clowney doesn't hesitate to dial up mentors and father figures like Carroll, Sumichrast and his agent, Bus Cook, who's also represented Brett Favre, Randy Moss, Calvin Johnson and Steve McNair.
"They're going to take the time to listen to me and give me their opinion," Clowney said. "They're never going to lead me in a bad direction. I lean on them."
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At 6-6 and a lean 270 pounds, Clowney has uncanny speed, having run the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds at the NFL scouting combine. He's gained roughly five pounds of muscle over the past year.
"I feel a lot stronger," he said. "I still feel as fast I have been."
Clowney's rookie season was an exercise in frustration as a myriad of injuries limited him to seven tackles in four games. He's still hunting his first NFL sack after recording 24 sacks and 47 tackles for losses in three seasons for the Gamecocks.
Because of his rare size, speed, explosiveness and aggressive nature, Clowney is regarded as one the most gifted defensive prospects to enter the NFL in decades.
"He's got tremendous size, ability, speed," Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said. "All those things that can make for a great player."
Because of his injury that kept him out during the preseason and offseason while he strengthened his knee, Clowney was limited to 30 snaps against the Chiefs. His workload is slated to increase against Carolina.
Clowney had four tackles with one for a loss last Sunday in a loss to the Chiefs that marked his first game back from the microfracture surgery he underwent in December. Now, he's taking aim at Panthers star quarterback Cam Newton.
"I'd like to make some plays, get some sacks," Clowney said. "I've been waiting for my first sack. Hopefully, I can get one. Tackle for a loss, force a fumble, hopefully something big, and something that will change the game."
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Known for his humble nature, Clowney counts on his his longtime girlfriend, Najah Martin, to keep him in line if he ever acts the slightest bit cocky.
"My family keeps me humble," Clowney said. "They will say something to me and my girl will stay something to me if she thinks I'm stepping out of line. I'm just laid-back."
Now, the big kid is about to become a father. His girlfriend is pregnant and is expecting a son. Choosing a name is still a topic for debate.
"We are trying to figure out if he's going to be a junior or if we're going to give him his own name," Clowney said. "Even if his has his own name, he'll still have big shoes to fill. I think being a father will change me a lot. I don't ever want him to see me do anything bad or treat his mama any type of way but respectfully."
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