The Raiders chose defensive end Clelin Ferrell with the No. 4 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft to address an enormous need. Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther sees the Ferrell as the perfect piece for a unit that simply must improve on last season’s effort.
“Clelin is exactly what I’m looking for,” Guenther told reporters at Organized Team Activities on Tuesday. “That’s the kind of guy we had in Cincinnati that are every-down ends — that are big men that can both rush and play the run. He’s exactly what we’re looking for.”
Guenther mentioned Bengals DE Carlos Dunlap as a prime example of another perfect fit for his 4-3 defense. Dunlap played in the Pro Bowl in 2015 and 2016 when Guenther was his coach. He’s tallied 72.5 sacks and 88 tackles for loss in nine seasons.
The Raiders had just 13 sacks last year after the team traded star DE Khalil Mack and veteran DE Bruce Irvin didn’t produce and was released (there was no other team in the NFL with less than 30 sacks).
Guenther rarely blitzes and relies on his front-four to play aggressive 1-gap football and disrupt action in the offensive backfield, though he uses deception from his linebackers to help the cause. At 6-foot-4 and 264 pounds, Ferrell had 27 career sacks with 50.5 tackles for loss at Clemson, and Guenther is confident he’s found his next Pro Bowl defensive end.
