Clemson Football: Ferrell, Wilkins and Lawrence find perfect NFL homes
Former Clemson football players found their new home Thursday evening when they heard their names called during the 2019 NFL Draft.
The first round of the 2019 NFL Draft came to a close Thursday evening and there were a few surprises on the Clemson football front.
The night all started with Clelin Ferrell, who drafted No. 4 overall to the Oakland Raiders.
Ferrell was expected to go somewhere between 11-19, according to the vast majority of mock drafts. No analyst had Ferrell going in the top-five and to be just the second defensive end taken in the draft behind Ohio State DE Nick Bosa.
The pick was absolutely worth it for the Raiders, in my opinion. Ferrell is a perfect fit. The Raiders were in need of an elite edge-rusher and I think they really liked the technique and work ethic of Ferrell. He’s a winner and knows what it takes to be an elite defensive lineman in the league.
After Ferrell, former Clemson football defensive tackle Christian Wilkins was taken No. 13 overall to the Miami Dolphins.
If you want to talk about a ‘home run’ pick, that’s exactly what the Dolphins got out of Wilkins. Wilkins is the safest pick in the draft, in my opinion. He is a solid option on the field and could develop into an All-Pro type defensive tackle.
He is versatile and that will bode well for Miami. The most impressive aspect of Wilkins, though, is his character, personality and leadership, which will be on display early and often in the Dolphin organization.
Another surprise happened with the No. 17 pick when Dexter Lawrence was selected by the New York Giants. The Giants were in need of a nose-tackle, but it wasn’t really expected that Lawrence would go that high and be selected ahead of some of the other defensive linemen in the class.
It just goes to show that analysts don’t really know a whole lot when it comes to the draft process. All three of these former Clemson football players found solid homes where they will have the opportunity to grow into elite players.
Next. A Tribute to the Power Rangers. dark
You’ve got Ferrell out west, Wilkins down south and Lawrence up north. Though the power rangers will now be spread out across the country, I think you’re still going to see them making an impact for their respective franchises.