Houston Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney is the choice for AFC South defensive MVP, as voted by the four reporters covering the division for ESPN.com.
Sarah Barshop, Texans reporter: When the Texans put J.J. Watt on injured reserve after three games, Houston needed someone to step up as a playmaker on the defensive line. Clowney moved from outside linebacker to defensive end and provided the necessary spark. In five games against the AFC South this season, he had three sacks and provided one of the biggest plays of the season. With the Colts in the red zone driving for a game-tying score in Indianapolis in Week 14, Clowney sacked Andrew Luck and forced a fumble. The Texans were up just six points at the time and went on to win. The victory went a long way in clinching the division and showed how important Clowney was to Houston's defense this season.
Michael DiRocco, Jaguars reporter: Clowney really came into his own this season, but to me, the best player on the Texans' defense was linebacker Whitney Mercilus. With 7.5 sacks, four fumble recoveries (including one that bounced off Jaguars RB T.J. Yeldon's foot) and 53 tackles, Mercilus was an all-around force for the division's top defense. He came up big in the Texans' wild-card playoff victory over Oakland too, with a pair of sacks. Mercilus gets overshadowed by Watt and Clowney, but he's every bit as important to the team's success as those two -- and maybe even more so this season, considering the Texans had Watt for just three games.
Paul Kuharsky, Titans reporter: It's hard to turn to anyone but the best guy on the best defense when the best defense is the best not just in the division but also in the league. Clowney was destructive in the wild-card win over Oakland, a game that made a big impression, even though it was after the regular season we are voting on. Six sacks isn't as big a number as you'd expect, but disruption doesn't always produce a stat. If I could have any defensive player in the division, it would be Clowney.
Mike Wells, Colts reporter: It wouldn't be surprising if everybody in Houston's organization spent part of the season running around the city screaming, "finally" when it came to Clowney. The No. 1 overall pick from the 2014 draft picked a perfect time to have his breakout season. He did his best in trying to fill the void left by Watt this season by having six sacks. The key with Clowney has never been his skill set; rather, it is his ability to stay healthy. He played in a career-high 14 games this season. I saw firsthand the kind of havoc he can cause when he forced a strip-sack on Luck when the Colts were 3 yards from taking the lead in the second half of their Dec. 12 game.