ALAMEDA, Calif. _ The Raiders have selected Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
Ferrell didn't appear as high as No. 4 in any projections or mock drafts, but the Raiders clearly thought enough of him to stay put and use their first pick on the national champion.
He won the College Football Playoff title with Clemson this past season and received the Ted Hendricks Award, given to the top defensive end in the country. He was a consensus first-team All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 after recording 11.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss last season.
Over his Clemson career he tallied 27 sacks, 50.5 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles and one fumble returned for a touchdown.
Ferrell fills a major need for the Raiders, who finished last season with only 13 sacks, the fewest for any team in a single season since the 2008 Chiefs finished with 10. He accompanies Arden Key, Benson Mayowa, Josh Mauro and Alex Barrett as defensive ends under contract.
The Raiders pick twice more in the first round Thursday night, at Nos. 24 and 27.
