College Football National Championship 2019: Alabama, Clemson set for Levi's

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Who else could it have been?

When the College Football Playoff concludes at Levi's Stadium on Jan. 7, the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide will take on the No. 2 Clemson Tigers. Clemson steamrolled No. 3 Notre Dame 30-3 in the Cotton Bowl, while Alabama withstood a late charge from Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray and his Oklahoma Sooners en route to a 45-34 win in the Orange Bowl. 

That means one of the best rivalries in the sport is coming to the Bay Area. It will mark the third time in four years the schools will square off in the title game, and the fourth consecutive season they've met in the playoff.

49ers and Raiders fans with an eye to the future will have plenty of reason to watch, too. Both teams are on course to pick in the top five of the 2019 NFL Draft, and the best two teams in college football feature plenty of blue-chip players that could begin their NFL careers in the Bay Area -- and/or wherever the Raiders play next season.

Here are a pair of prospects 49ers and Raiders fans should have their eyes on:

Clelin Ferrell, DE (Clemson)

Ferrell moved into a tie with William "The Refrigerator" Perry for fourth on Clemson's all-time sacks list on Saturday. He also forced -- and recovered -- a fumble, and broke up a pass against the Fighting Irish. 

His ability to rush the passer is something the 49ers and Raiders desperately need, as the teams entered Week 17 standing 19th and 32nd in sacks, respectively. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound edge rusher was initially expected to enter the draft last spring, but his decision to spend another year in school could prove to be a boon for either Bay Area franchise if they take him in the first round. 

Ferrell may be a reach in the top five, as he's projected by many mocks to be picked after the top 10. That just may make him an option for the Raiders second (and maybe third) first-round pick -- one of which was acquired, ironically enough, when they traded their best pass rusher. 

Quinnen Williams, DL (Alabama)

Pro Football Focus rated Williams as the best player in college football this season, and he showed why on Saturday. Williams backed up his (almost) trash talk about Murray, helping the Crimson Tide hold the Sooners to just 10 points in the first half.

While the 49ers and Raiders don't need an interior lineman per se, Williams may be too good for either team to let slip past them. Rams superstar Aaron Donald has shown just how valuable an interior rusher could be, and neither the 49ers nor the Raiders are in a position to be choosy about how to make vital improvements in their pass rush. 

It's unlikely Williams will remain on the board much longer after San Francisco and Oakland end up picking, assuming he enters the draft. But if he does, a strong performance in their own backyard could be enough to convince the 49ers or Raiders to call his name. 

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