NFL Draft 2019: Raiders pick Clelin Ferrell No. 4, add to pass rush

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The Raiders have selected defensive end Clelin Ferrell with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. 

Ferrell, who's  6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, starred for three seasons at Clemson. As a junior, he recorded 11.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss on the undefeated national champions.

Here's the full breakdown on the newest Raider.

Clelin Ferrell

Position: Defensive end
College: Clemson
Height: 6-4
Weight: 265 pounds
Selection: First round (No. 4 overall)

Scouting report

The former Tigers edge rusher was an excellent college producer, with 27 sacks and 50.5 tackles for loss over three seasons. He has an excellent tool kit of pass-rush moves, and should be ready to contribute right away.

Ferrell had the benefit of playing on an excellent defensive line where double teams are death, so he took advantage and dominated some excellent college offensive linemen.

Taking Ferrell this high was seen as a shock, considering he was rated lower than several other edge rushers still available.

“He isn’t ultra-twitchy and won’t capture the corner on speed alone, but he has terrific contact balance and power to work off blocks,” said Dane Brugler, NFL draft expert for The Athletic. “Overall, Ferrell has only average athleticism for his size, but his mix of power, handwork and recognition skills lead to production, projecting best as a hand-on-the-ground rusher in a 4-3 base.”

He doesn’t have great explosiveness or pure quickness -- he didn’t run a 40-yard dash at the combine or his pro day, leading to him falling down positional rankings of several top draft analysts.

Projected role

Ferrell addresses the Raiders' biggest need rushing off the edge. He is a near-perfect scheme fit, comfortable with his hand in the grass as a 4-3 defensive end. He’ll be expected to come in and be a three-down player, considering the Raiders could barely fill out a defensive end two-deep entering the draft.

[RELATED: Clelin Ferrell wants to be what Aldon Smith should've been]

He’s a pro’s pro, a hard worker and grinder the Raiders prefer. He’ll have to get to the quarterback regularly to validate such a high draft pick.

What they’re saying

“I know his career didn’t pan out the way a lot of people wanted, but (he’s) the reason I wear No. 99,” Ferrell said Saturday during College Football National Championship media day at SAP Center. “I feel like I could be … and I don't know if anything’s over with [Smith's career] -- that’s still in the works -- but I feel like I can be what he should've been and where he should be in his career right now. I know he has had some setbacks, and I always pray that he'll return to the level he was. I always looked up to him and his game." -- Clelin Ferrell on his on-field role model, Aldon Smith

“Clelin Ferrell, I think, is the best end in the draft. I think he’s the most complete player in the draft at his position. -- Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney on Ferrell

“I would say he's a foundational player. He's somebody that's steady, that's reliable. I know exactly what I'm getting.” -- NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah on Ferrell

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