The Houston Texans beefed up their defensive line by taking extraordinary pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney from the University of South Carolina with the first pick of the NFL Draft on Thursday.

The Texans, picking first after a league-worst 2-14 season, kicked off the annual selection party at Radio City Music Hall by taking defensive end Clowney to partner with two-time All-Pro DE J.J. Watt, the Defensive Player of the Year in 2012.

"I'm going to do everything I can to help the program," said Clowney, who registered 24 sacks and 130 tackles in three seasons and became the first sophomore to win the Hendricks Award as the nation's most outstanding defensive end.