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2019 draft night started shockingly. The Las Vegas Raiders had the fourth pick overall and decided to take Clemson's star defensive end, Clelin Ferrell. They attempted to trade back but decided to still take him at 4.
The expectations were high for Ferrell, and he hasn’t lived up to it. He is a strong-run defender but has not produced in the sack department. Even with a rise in total pressures last season, there is still a lot to be desired rushing the passer.
Early on in the camp, it has seemed to lead to a slight demotion.
Clelin Ferrell, the fourth overall pick in the 2019 draft, has been running with the 2s at Raiders camp... both at DE on run downs (behind Yannick Ngakoue and Maxx Crosby) and at 3-technique on passing downs. Raiders have worked on split fields, so it's a clear delineation.
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) July 30, 2021
Interesting.
It is early with plenty of training camp left, but this is concerning. When Gus Bradley came into the fold, this was always a possibility. He would have to be the 5-technique on base downs and 3-technique on passing downs.
Ferrell will have a role in this football team. His run defense will be paramount in base-down situations. For now, it doesn’t seem like a huge one.
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