Raiders: Revisiting the 2019 NFL Draft class and where they stand
Clelin Ferrell
Ferrell is not a draft pick Raider Nation likes to talk about. Ultimately, it’s less about his play and more about him being drafted 4th overall. Not only did the edge rusher not put up flashy numbers, but those drafted after him did.
Devin White, drafted 5th overall, was an immediate star. This only added insult to injury as the Raiders’ middle linebacker, Vontaze Burfict, was hit with a season-long suspension Week 4. On top of that, Tahir Whitehead, who played 90% of snaps was a liability all year.
On top of this, Jacksonville’s 7th overall pick Josh Allen put up 10.5 sacks on his way to a Pro Bowl appearance. This one was a dagger to Raider Nation, as he was the consensus ‘best’ player left on the board when it came time to make the 4th overall selection.
Outdone by both a stud linebacker and another edge rusher who made the Pro Bowl, Clelin was put in a strange hold.
In the meantime, Ferrell was quietly playing fine, rotating everywhere on the line including the interior. In fact, he would eventually end up playing more interior than edge as the season went on. Which only made sense, as he proved himself to be the best run stopper on the defensive line his rookie year.
He would do many things that didn’t show up on the stats, such as freeing up teammates for them to finish the play and clogging up holes, forcing ball carriers to change their plans.