The Oakland Raiders had three first-round picks in this year's NFL Draft, and with their top selection at No. 4, they took Clemson defensive lineman Clelin Ferrell.
While Ferrell knows that he will be productive, he wants to show everyone that he is a hard worker to earn the respect of his teammates:
“Just that I’m a worker,” Ferrell said, according to Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area. “The play is going to come with itself, but I just want to earn the respect of my teammates, that’s the biggest thing. So much going on around because you’re a rookie and don’t know much. Everything is just new, it’s a whole new situation, whole new playbook, whole new teammates, everything. So, just come in with the right mindset and right attitude, work hard and just earn the respect of my teammates is the biggest thing.”
Ferrell is coming off of a terrific junior campaign in which he racked up 55 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and a defensive touchdown.
The 21-year-old originally arrived at Clemson in 2015, but played in just one game and ended up redshirting. Then, during what was his freshman year in 2016, Ferrell totaled 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and six sacks in an impressive debut campaign.
The following season, Ferrell registered 66 stops, 18 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles, putting himself on the map as an elite defensive prospect.
For a Raiders club that has struggled defensively for years, Ferrell should make a difference.
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