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Earlier this month at the NFL Scouting Combine, we polled four national media members on various topics pertaining to the Texans and the AFC South. Their answers are featured in our exclusive five-part series this week on HoustonTexans.com.*
We asked, The best defensive player in the AFC South is __?
Albert Breer, senior NFL reporter for The MMQB:
"If healthy, it's easy. It's J.J. Watt. Obviously there is questions about his health and he's had problems the last couple of years. If he's healthy, it's J.J. Watt. If he's not, then I would probably give you Jalen Ramsey from the Jaguars, who I think is right there. A couple steps away from being the best corner in football."
Greg Cosell, NFL analyst and senior producer at NFL Films:"The best defensive player? Wow. Boy, Jacksonville has a lot of good players. There's a lot of people you can choose here, and I'm going to choose Jalen Ramsey."**
Matthew Berry, ESPN's senior fantasy football analyst:**
"It's got to be J.J. Watt, right? I mean there's a lot of guys on the Jags – but come on. J.J. Watt."
Ian Rapoport, NFL Network insider:
"I think it's Jalen Ramsey. I think he's going to be elite, elite. I think he's going to be one of the best players in the league. I think that's where it's going. But the way Clowney is playing, he's kind of getting in the mix there too. That's tough. That's really tough. I would go with Jalen Ramsey right now though."
Jenny Vrentas, senior writer for Sports Illustrated and The MMQB:
"Again, it's with health, right? When Watt is healthy, he's the best defensive player in the league. Now, we have to see how he comes back from the injury. Last season, the Jaguars had two leading candidate for defensive player of the year: Jalen Ramsey and Calais Campbell. So, I think a lot depends on Watt's health – obviously – and how he returns from his injury."
J.J. Watt--from his time as a Texan back to his Wisconsin Badger days--is featured here in photos.
