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Texans' D.J. Swearinger wants club to draft Jadeveon Clowney

D.J. Swearinger has played behind Jadeveon Clowney, and he's played behind J.J. Watt.

Now the Houston Texans safety is hoping to play behind both.

Swearinger, a former star at South Carolina, is pushing for the club to take Clowney with the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, according to The Houston Chronicle.

"Just having them two down on the D-line, it'd be unstoppable," Swearinger said. "It's just another J.J. Watt, but two-tenths (of a second) faster. ... He (Clowney) has a heart for the game, he loves the game and you can't pass that up, if you ask me," Swearinger said.

Clowney is among several options for Houston at the top of the draft, along with a quarterback such as Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater or Blake Bortles. Swearinger said he has been in contact with Clowney, who of course is also looking for some inside Texans draft info.

"He's talking about, 'Man, what's the word?'" Swearinger said. "I'm like, 'I don't know. I'm going to try my best to do what I can to get you here.'"

As for scouting concerns about Clowney's work ethic, Swearinger said Clowney would benefit from being reunited with Texans strength coach Craig Fitzgerald, who had the same role at South Carolina and has worked with Clowney before.

"That's somebody who kept (Clowney) straight," Swearinger said. "That's why I think it'd be a huge asset getting Clowney, because Fitzgerald always stayed on Clowney about everything and had him working 100 percent all the time. The work-ethic thing, I don't think it'd be a problem."

Clowney told College Football 24/7 earlier this week that he would fit nicely opposite Watt as one of the NFL's most exciting defensive end tandems.

Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.