Many eyebrows raised across the planet when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the Oakland Raiders’ Choice of Clelin Ferrell Using the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
The Raiders, for their part, were not worried about pre-draft projections that indicated the Clemson defensive end could have been accessible later in the procedure. Oakland appeared for the ideal match, identified their guy and caught him.
In updating the defense, new general manager Mike Mayock and czar Jon Gruden appeared for players who match defensive coordinator Paul Guenther’s scheme. The DC considers Ferrell is as powerful as some of the best edge rushers he had during his stint with the Cincinnati Bengals.
LATEST ANALYSIS
??? NFL’s top 5 defensive triplets
??? Superstar clubWatson in, Brady out ??? 24 motives Chubb will split ??? Team fits for best staying FAs
??? Ranking deepest position groups
??? Offensive triplets: Who is No. 1?
“Clelin is precisely what I’m looking for,” Guenther said recently, through NBC Sports Bay Area. “That is the type of men we had. The Michael Johnson’s and the Carlos Dunlap’s we needed in Cincinnati which are every-down ends, that are large men that can both rush and play the run. So he’s exactly what we’re searching for.”
Dunlap is one of the most underrated pass rushers in the NFL. When he wore a star on his helmet, then the picture of the dude would be about cereal boxes. Despite turning 30, Dunlap still creates boatloads of stress, earning at least 7.5 sacks each of the past six seasons. The edge rusher owns the most sacks in Bengals history with 72.5 because the league began counting the statistic in 1982 (he’d allegedly be instant if you went back and relied on Eddie Edwards’ sacks before that date). Dunlap enjoyed his best seasons earning Pro Bowl bids in 2015 and 2016. Johnson also enjoyed several successful seasons under Guenther and created 44.5 sacks for his career, although his creation has trailed of late.
Needless to say, if Ferrell turns out to be a Dunlap-type border rusher, the Raiders would be very delighted with the pick.
The rookie brings a toolbox which may not blow scouts away, but is always good in each area. Raiders linebacker Vontaze Burfict, a former teammate of both Dunlap and Johnson, agrees that the comparisons are apt.
“Oh yeah,” Burfict said. “He is a beginner but I swear he has been like five years. Doesn’t behave as a rookie in any way. He comes in prepared to handle business, he is even a pioneer in the huddle, even just cheering guys up, telling them,’Let us finish the period off.’ And that is much coming from a beginner since when I was a rookie I didn’t wish to mention much, I only wanted to go out there and do my job, therefore coming out of him and he’s a defensive end and now I give him a difference call or whatever kind of call that I give him, he knows it, so that’s enormous.”
Ferrell’s intelligence, leadership and consistency were all reasons the Raiders were comfy making him a top choice. Perception be damned.
Read more: stu feiner
Advertise Here
