Clelin Ferrell was one of the most surprising picks in the entire 2019 NFL Draft. While he was projected to go in the middle-to-late first round, the Oakland Raiders decided to make him the No. 4 overall pick. It was a move that left many fans and media members scratching their heads.
Despite being drafted a lot higher than expected, Ferrell has big-time talent and is more than ready to prove his doubters wrong.
Last season with the Clemson Tigers, Ferrell ended up recording 55 total tackles to go along with 20.0 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, one defensive touchdown, and two passes defended. Those numbers show his ability to stuff the stat sheet. His ability to get the quarterback was on full display, which is why the Raiders took a risk on him.
After being forced to trade superstar pass rusher Khalil Mack prior to the 2018 season, the Raiders needed to find another beast to get after the quarterback. They seem to be very confident that Ferrell will end up being that guy for them.
All of that being said, let's go ahead and dive in to find out a few things that fans may not know about the Raiders' new defensive playmaker.
3. Ferrell's Personal Life Has Not Been Easy
While he has now made his lifelong dream of becoming an NFL player come true, his life has not been easy getting to this point. Back in high school as a freshman, Ferrell suffered a major loss. His father passed away while he was at Benedictine College Prep, an all-male military school in Virginia.
Ferrell then suffered a torn ACL during his senior year. Injuries didn't stop there, as the Clemson star suffered a hand injury that forced him to redshirt his freshman year. Despite the setbacks that he suffered, he kept his head up and pushed all the way into the NFL.
2. He Is One of the Top Pass-Rushers in Clemson History
Secondly, Ferrell put together an amazing career at Clemson. Not only did he do enough to be a national star and work his way into the NFL, he also is going to go down as one of the top pass-rushers in program history.
Ferrell ended his career tied for the fourth-most sacks in Clemson history with 27. William Perry, Gaines Adams, Michael Dean Perry, and Vic Beasley are the only Tigers equal to him or above him on the list. He also started more games than any other Clemson pass rusher in history with 44.
1. His Family Was Not “Normal”
Finally, going back to his youth, Ferrell grew up in a unique family. Not only were they a firm military family, they also were a big family. In addition to Clelin, there are eight other Ferrell siblings in the family.
Clelin is the youngest child of the family and certainly dealt with his fair share of being bullied by his siblings. All of that helped mold him into the man that he has become today. The Raiders are getting a well-disciplined young man who will work hard and prove them right for taking him at No. 4.
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