Just eight days after hearing his name called as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Jacksonville Jaguars edge rusher Dante Fowler suffered a season-ending torn ACL on the first day of minicamp.
It’s obviously devastating news for Fowler and Jaguars fans, players, scouts and coaches alike.
Jadeveon Clowney, the No. 1 overall pick from last year’s draft, can certainly sympathize with Fowler after undergoing season-ending microfracture surgery after appearing in just four games as a rookie.
Clowney put division rivalry aside and took to Twitter to offer Fowler some encouraging words.
Keep ur head up @dantefowler. Put that work in and u will be back better than ever. #comebacks
— jadeveon clowney 7 (@clownejd) May 8, 2015
Very classy move by the Houston Texans’ promising edge rusher.
It remains to be seen when Clowney will be fully healthy and how effective he’ll be this season, as setbacks are common following microfracture surgery, which has also been known to derail careers.
Eagles edge rusher Brandon Graham, also a former first round pick, underwent the same surgery when he was Clowney’s age (22) back in December 2010 and he wasn’t back to his normal role until the 2012 season opener.
Clowney had the surgery last December, so it wouldn’t be shocking if it took him a little while to get back to where he was before the surgery. But the team has been “encouraged and impressed” with his rehab and expects him to be a “major contributor” in 2015. Perhaps that innovative military rehab technique has played a prominent role in his recovery.
Fowler will miss his entire rookie campaign, but if he takes Clowney’s advice, he could return poised for a monstrous second season. In the meantime, Jacksonville will need some of tis other promising young players, like second round rookie running back T.J. Yeldon, to step up and continue to shine, as Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley and general manager David Caldwell are on the hot seat heading into their third year at the helm.
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