Replacing the legendary Julius Peppers is not going to be easy for the Panthers front office. However, even before he announced his retirement from the NFL last week, Carolina was in desperate need of some more depth and talent at defensive end. Aside from Mario Addison, the team did not get much production from the position during the 2018 season and they’ve been neglecting it far too long.
In a new four-round 2019 mock draft by Luke Easterling at Draft Wire, Carolina addresses this problem in the first round by picking Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell with the No. 16 overall draft pick.
This pick could go a million different ways, but the Panthers would be smart to try and replace 17-year veteran Julius Peppers on the edge. Ferrell may not have Peppers’ rare athleticism, but his size, length and technique should still make him an effective pass rusher at the next level.
Ferrell’s size (6-foot-5, 260 pounds) jumps out on tape first. Here’s a look at how he did against the best college football has to offer.
Ferrell vs. Alabama
Ferrell vs. Auburn
Ferrell vs. Florida State
Ferrell posted 27 sacks and 50.5 tackles for a loss in 44 career games during his time at Clemson.
