NFL Draft 2019: Is Clelin Ferrell Clemson’s best defensive line prospect?
Starters from Clemson’s defensive line will all be selected in the 2019 NFL Draft. Among them, Clelin Ferrell will be making the biggest impact.
Over the past few years, the Clemson Tigers’ defensive line has cause havoc to opposing offenses. This line consisted of Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence and Clelin Ferrell. While all three will likely be selected within the first two rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft, Ferrell is sure to be the first chosen.
While Ferrell’s draft stock may have dropped slightly with the outstanding performances of defensive ends in the NFL Combine, he is, without a doubt, a first-round pick.
Strengths
Ferrell is 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds. His strength goes without saying. However, his ability to hold the edge is explained by his deceptive quickness. While many see him as a potential pass-rusher in the NFL, he is more likely to be used as someone who stops quick running backs or scrambling quarterbacks.
But of course, his ability to get to the quarterback should not be disregarded. Ferrell recorded 11.5 sacks in the Tigers’ 2018 National Championship winning year but what was more impressive was his 20 tackles for loss. These statistics demonstrate his pure capabilities to get in the backfield and be a playmaker.
Lastly, Ferrell has proven he can perform on the biggest stages. Despite only playing in one game as a freshman, he was instrumental in the Tigers’ success over the past four seasons. In those four years, he has contributed to a Clemson team that played in three National Championship games, winning two of them. Playing in the ACC and in the College Football Playoff, Ferrell will be better prepared for the intensity of a given NFL game.
Weaknesses
Frankly, Clelin Ferrell does not have many weaknesses. The ACC is not necessarily the same level of competition as the SEC, but one can assume he would not have had a problem facing SEC offensive lineman every week. Additionally, it could be argued that having Wilkins and Lawrence on the defensive line may have created more opportunities for Ferrell over the years, and otherwise would have been double-teamed. But by the same argument, the other members of the Clemson D-line also likely stole many of the big plays Ferrell could have been making.
Next. 2019 NFL Draft: Projected First Round. dark
Draft Expectations
A few months ago, many would have projected Ferrell to be selected in the top 5-10 picks. However, after free agency has shaken up many of the NFL teams’ needs, many other defensive players have improved their stock, and offensive players have gained more attention, it looks like Ferrell may have slid down the board a bit. Overall, he will likely be starting in 2019 for whatever team takes him.