With the No. 4 pick in the 2019 NFL draft, the Oakland Raiders opted for a player with a high floor, rather than taking a project. Considering the player the Raiders selected that pick, it’s tough to blame them as they didn’t want to “bust” inside of the top-five. Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell was considered one of the safest players in the draft because of his superb production in each of the last three seasons in the ACC.
One of the reasons why general manager Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden were so intrigued by Ferrell (outside of his high-character) was his ability to impact the game in both the run and the pass. At Clemson, Ferrell proved to be an elite run defender, totaling 50.5 career tackles for a loss as he was named the 2018 ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
While that number in itself is staggering, there are other stats that suggest Ferrell was one of the best defensive end prospects in the entire draft. According to Pro Football Focus, Ferrell recorded 30 defensive stops in 2018, one of the best in college football.
What is a “defensive stop” exactly? Per PFF, it’s a tackle that results in an “unsuccessful” player for the example. Below is the general criteria for recording a stop:
On a first down, if the offense gets 45% of the way to a first down or less
On a second down, if the offense gets 60% of the way to a first down or less
On a third or fourth down, if the offense doesn’t gain a first down.
Essentially, Ferrell was a game-wrecker last season for the Tigers. While his overall sack total might not be the most impressive (11.5 sacks), he found a way to make an impact in every single game.
Ferrell certainly has one of the highest floors of any defensive prospect that was selected in the 2019 draft and that had to be comforting to the Raiders’ front office. Look for Ferrell to open the season as one of the team’s starting defensive ends.
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