Oakland Raiders: Realistic options at No. 4 during the 2019 NFL Draft

Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson

As mentioned earlier, the Raiders desperately need to find some pass rushing help off the edge. Guys like Tank Carradine, Frostee Rucker, and Kony Ealy just aren’t going to get it done and are a big reason the Raiders racked up only 13 total sacks this past season.

At 6-5, 260 pounds, Ferrell has outstanding size. But, he’s also got tremendous speed and a variety of moves that allow him to get around the edge and into a quarterback’s face.

Unlike Bruce Irvin, who seemed to have trouble getting home given the one-dimensional nature of his attack, Ferrell has an entire catalog of moves that allow him to go over, under, around, or through a tackle and put the quarterback on the ground – something he did 27 times over the course of his career at Clemson.

Lest you think Ferrell is a one-trick pony though, he’s also stout against the run. He’s versatile enough to slide down inside, clog up running lanes, and push the pocket inward. He has 49 tackles for a loss over his collegiate career and 162 tackles overall.

He made his living on the edge and that’s exactly where the Raiders need help the most. They weren’t able to get the best out of Key this year because, with no viable threat opposite him, teams were able to double down or throw extra chips at him. He also needs to learn to develop his own toolbox a little bit more, but gaining the experience he did this year will help.

To have an athletic freak like Key on one end and a rock solid, explosive, and dynamic presence like Ferrell on the other – not to mention the pocket pushing presences of Hurst and Hall in the middle – and teams are going to have to pick their poison. After all, they can’t double everybody.

Having Ferrell on one side and Key on the other could give the Raiders a pass rushing duo they haven’t had in a long, long time.