Tag: Clelin Ferrell

Skalski confident Clemson defense rivals 2018’s Power Rangers

Following the Sugar Bowl loss last January to Ohio State, Clemson has its sights set on starting fresh with a new season and new opportunities ahead. For sixth-year linebacker James Skalski, it’s time to show the world what the Tigers’ defense can …

Following the Sugar Bowl loss last January to Ohio State, Clemson has its sights set on starting fresh with a new season and new opportunities ahead.

For sixth-year linebacker James Skalski, it’s time to show the world what the Tigers’ defense can do.

Clemson’s defense showed promise last season but struggled to build depth. Now the unit is looking to have what could be its best season since greats like Christian Wilkins, Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence and Austin Bryant all toed the line during the 2018 national championship season.

“I never got to fully play behind that Dexter, Christian, Cle, Austin d-line, so, in a way, this is kind of like a new wave of that hopefully,” Skalski said at the ACC Kickoff. “If those guys can live up to their expectation, it’s going to be that [type of] talent.”

With a wealth of talent returning on this year’s defense, Skalski is eager to see if his team can play more together and be a more cohesive unit once they hit the field this fall.

“It’s the same every year,” he said. “It’s play good team defense, be in the top five in most of the categories. But for me this year, I just want to see all three levels playing together. I think last year was just a little dysfunctional at times. I think we have all the things we need to glue it all together and have a great defense.”

With guys like Justin Foster, Myles Murphy, Bryan Bresee, Tyler Davis, Xavier Thomas, K.J. Henry and more returning to the defensive line this season, the linebacker is confident his team can face some of the mistakes made last season and use it as fuel to dominate any opponent they come face to face with.

“Maybe the front seven played well, but we didn’t cover the guy. Or maybe we covered the hell out of some people, and we can’t get to the quarterback or maybe the linebackers or the d-line fit the gaps right, but the safety’s not there,” the linebacker said. “Just everyone being on their P’s and Q’s as one. Too many times, we’ve had great performances from some people. But as a whole, it wasn’t good.”

In addition to a veteran d-line, the Tigers have a great deal of experience thanks to guys like Skalski, Nolan Turner and Baylon Spector in Clemson’s back seven, who can each offer both experience and leadership to younger players.

“As far as preparation goes, anyone in that room can ask me a question about their job, and between me, Nolan [Turner], and Baylon [Spector], the whole back seven, we know the answer,” Skalski said.

“Just helping younger guys come along, grow, because literally any position you want, we got an answer for it. As far as in game and in moments, I’ve been down 16-0 and beat Ohio State before, so just helping people keep level heads when things aren’t going well, but we got that. We got all those kind of guys, even without the experience, who’ve got that kind of mentality about them.”

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Ferrell feels like a ‘grown man’ entering third NFL season

Clelin Ferrell feels he has grown a lot, both on and off the field, since he was drafted out of Clemson by the Raiders in the first round (4th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. “I think my biggest thing is just I’m a man now,” the former Tiger …

Clelin Ferrell feels he has grown a lot, both on and off the field, since he was drafted out of Clemson by the Raiders in the first round (4th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft.

“I think my biggest thing is just I’m a man now,” the former Tiger defensive end told reporters this week. “When I first came into the league, I thought I was. But it was a lot of things that I was worrying about off the field, whether it was paying my first bill, house mortgage, everything, or trying to understand where you buy furniture at or dealing with the different pressures of being a high-first-round pick. So, a lot of things when I first came into the league kind of hit me. Not saying I didn’t do well responding to them, but it was kind of like I didn’t know the answer. I had to seek out guidance.

“But now I feel like I’m a grown man. It’s an aspect of it’s nothing that can really throw me off. It’s kind of just my mindset comes in. I’m strong, I know what to expect and I know what to look for going into training camp. So, it’s been good.”

Ferrell has played in 26 games over his first two seasons in the NFL from 2019-20, tallying 65 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and 18 quarterback hits.

Heading into his third year in the league, Ferrell – who left Clemson as only the second two-time, first-team AP All-American – is looking to break out and become the type of star player he knows he can be.

“For me, I feel like the thing about myself is I’ve seen different players around the league from present and past that have kind of done some of the same things that I’m trying to do,” Ferrell said. “But I think the best version of myself is something that I can’t really put a ceiling on. So, I’m excited, man. I’m just going to keep putting my head down and going to work. So, it’s been good.”

With training camp underway, Ferrell is happy with where he is from a physical standpoint.

“Obviously, it takes some days getting back ready with this heat. But man, I feel good,” he said. “Last year, I tried to get up to about 275 just because I wanted to be able to hold my own whether I was inside or outside, and now my strength is really good. So, this past offseason has been about cutting back down. So, I tried to cut back to that 267, 268 range, just give myself some room to the point to where I can really be explosive and not have to worry about that extra five pounds. It’s just lagging weight. So, it’s been good for sure. I can’t wait till we put the pads on. That’s when I’ll really be able to get a feel for it.”

5 Raiders entering make-or-break seasons in 2021

These five Raiders must step up this season or step down

On Tuesday, the Raiders report to training camp. Set to embark on their 2021 season in which there is a lot riding. Some have a lot more riding on this season than others.

Not every year has to be THE year for every player. Some guys have a past of great play that gives them the benefit of the doubt for a down season while others will still be given time to reach their full potential. Some, however, are set to face seasons where it could be crucial to step up or step down. Here are five for the Raiders this season.

5. DT Solomon Thomas

The former third overall pick started his career having a fairly standard rookie season. The kind that suggests there’s talent there, but it’s still to be developed. Then his career didn’t quite take off from there.

Thomas spent four seasons with the team that selected him and gave him a short trip from his dorm room at Stanford to nearby Santa Clara. But the 49ers let him walk with no fifth-year option. Now he signs on to a one-year deal with the Raiders, hoping to prove that a change of scheme and position (5-tech DE to 3-tech DT) will prove to the league that he is no bust. This could be his best chance to do that.

4. S Johnathan Abram

A lost rookie season gave way to a rough first full season. And just like that, he’s going into his pivotal third season. Fair or not, the reality is teams don’t wait more than a couple of seasons before deciding whether a player is the answer. Even for a first-round pick like Abram.

The former highly regarded rookie is now on the hot seat. He has a rookie in fourth-round pick Tyree Gillespie breathing down his neck and it’s somewhat of a contract year for Abram because next offseason the team will decide whether they want to use the fifth-year option on him or take their chances. By then they may have already made up their mind whether Abram can be the long-term answer.

3. DE Clelin Ferrell

Like Solomon Thomas, Ferrell was a top-five pick (fourth overall) as a defensive lineman. And like Abram, he was taken in the 2019 draft which means this season will be when the team will need him to show he is worth using a fifth-year option on him.

Ferrell has not shown himself to be worthy of even a first-round selection, let alone a top-five pick. He has just 6.5 sacks in his first two seasons despite 26 starts. Sacks aren’t everything, but if a player isn’t getting them, he has to make up for it in other areas and Ferrell has yet to do that. Now he will have to prove he is worthy of seeing the field over the likes of Maxx Crosby (17 sacks in two seasons) and newcomer Yannick Ngakoue (16 sacks in the past two seasons).

2. QB Derek Carr

His stats have gone up each of the past two seasons. So, there’s that. But the results have been pretty much the same — the team looks like they could be in the playoff hunt at midseason only to tank down the stretch and miss the playoffs.

A lot of people prefer to put the blame solely on the defense. And, yes, the defense has been bad. But while everyone wants to say Derek Carr is not the problem, the correct question should be is he the solution? You can point the finger anywhere else you want, but the bottom line is the quarterback must be able to put the team on his back and pull out some wins even when the rest of the team isn’t ideal. This year he must prove he is that guy or the team must find something who is or could be. That’s just the nature of the business.

1. HC Jon Gruden

Yeah, yeah, he has a ten-year deal, blah blah blah. But does he really? Can you prove that if he were let go after this season that the Raiders would be on the hook for six years and whatever remains of a supposed $100 million deal?

Keep in mind that Gruden has in the past denied that he signed such a deal. He has also said that if he can’t get it done, he wouldn’t take Mark Davis’s money. And that doesn’t necessarily mean he would refuse to be paid for the years he has coached. It could simply mean he won’t take money for years remaining on his contract.

Let’s just suppose, for the sake of argument, that Gruden’s contract is more of a ‘Five years and we’ll see’ kind of deal. He’s already lasted longer than most coaches who couldn’t take a team to the playoffs. His first year he took a team that went 6-10 the previous season and was one season removed from a playoff appearance and led them to a 4-12 record.

And fans like to say the Raiders have seen progress the past couple of seasons, but he’s still not led the Raiders to a winning record in a season and the team is 5-15 over the final six games of each season under him. Do you think he can or should survive another season missing the playoffs? I highly doubt it.

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Raiders DE Clelin Ferrell makes impact fit for a No. 4 overall pick in win vs. Jets

The Raiders drafted DE Clelin Ferrell at the No. 4 overall spot in the 2019 NFL Draft, and he made an impact fit for a high pick vs. Jets.

When the Raiders drafted defensive end Clelin Ferrell, the choice seemed like a reach to many. The Clemson alum was projected as a solid but unspectacular prospect, especially for a player selected No. 4 overall.

He’s struggled to make an obvious impact for most of his young career, especially for a Raiders team starved of quarterback sacks. Ferrell has had some strong games rushing the passer in spots, but he’s been missing in that department for the most part.

But on Sunday against the Jets, in Las Vegas’ last-second win, Ferrell made an impact you’d expect from such a high selection. He forced two fumbles on two QB sacks on the day, with the Raiders recovering the football on each occasion. Ferrell, who also had a pass defensed and six total tackles, had his strong showing despite missing last week’s game on the reserve/COVID-19 list.

“Yeah, that was great,” coach Jon Gruden after the game. “He’s had the coronavirus. He’s missed a couple weeks. We were missing some defensive lineman and defensive players today and he made some impact plays. And that’s what we need from him. He’s a hard-nosed, energized, finishing player, and he’s got a lot of football character that we’re going to lean on also.”

Ferrell said he was too enthralled with the rollercoaster ride of a football game to pay attention to his successful day — though he had just 4.5 career sacks coming into the contest, with zero this year, until today. “It was hard to even really enjoy it because the game was so much of a sway of emotion,” he told reporters after the game. “But I’m just happy to come back, play well and get the win.”

And while his day against the Jets was certainly his most impactful game, Ferrell is acting as though he’s been there before.

“I wouldn’t call it a breakout game,” he said. “I feel like I’ve had a number of good games so far in my career. I would say though that, just throughout this season, it’s been kind of a, just chipping at the wood every week because I feel like I’ve gotten close on a lot of different pressures, been robbed of some things.”

Ferrell has had a very rough time getting to the quarterback in general in his career thus far, having most of his QB sacks against a single opponent, the Chargers. He’s become more and more reliable in other departments, however. But with the Raiders having just 12 sacks the entire season entering the Jets game, Ferrell will be counted on to make an impact, as Gruden suggested.

“Obviously, getting a sack is good. But not just getting sacks but getting strip-sacks and [they] turn in to turnovers and help the team,” Ferrell said. “I’m just trying to carry it into this last stretch that we got.”

As the Raiders prepare to play the Colts in Las Vegas next weekend, the playoff hunt is certainly on. If Ferrell can make an impact as he did against the Jets — even against the run, but certainly against the pass — the Raiders will have a much better chance of stopping the opponent and winning vitally important football games in December.

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Winners and losers for Raiders in Week 1 vs. Panthers

Las Vegas Raiders pull off their first victory 34-30. Raiders wire looks at the Winners and Losers from Week 1

After a long offseason that felt like it went on forever, we finally got Las Vegas Raiders football. The Raiders did not disappoint the nation going into Carolina and defeating the Carolina Panthers 34-30 in a nail biter that went down to the final minutes.

The Raiders offense showed up in a big way, putting up 34 points on the board, which is more than they scored all last season. After their first three and out, they achieved five straight scoring drives, helping build a 12 point lead. Raiders averaged 6.09 yards per play and converted 54% of their third downs. That outlook looks great for the rest of the season.

The defense didn’t shine as much as they looked leaky in the backend and didn’t generate much pressure. The Panthers offense was able to move the ball well, allowing 5.96 yards per play, and injuries started to let Christen McCaffery get going late. However, it made the big stop on the fourth down to help secure the win.

Who were the winners and losers for Week 1?

Winner: RB Josh Jacobs

The easiest one for the day was Josh Jacobs. Coming into the season with a ton of hype, Jacobs exceeded the hype with a huge opening day helping the Raiders with their red-zone woes for now with a three-touchdown day.

Jacobs set the tone for the offense and was able to display his vision and decisiveness. While he didn’t have the best yards per carry mark at 3.7, he was able to help out in the passing game adding four catches for 46 yards and able to make Carr look good when he checked down late in the game.

If this is the Jacobs the Raiders are getting all year, he could be a player the offense can ride to wins late in the game. The Raiders were able to make big plays off the play-action as well and give Carr lanes when teams sucked up to stop Jacobs. Jacobs is ready to take his game to the next level.

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Raiders DE Clelin Ferrell embraces lofty expectations, says ‘Pressure is a privilege for me’

The Raiders drafted DE Clelin Ferrell at No. 4 in the draft a year ago, and he embraces the pressure that comes with it.

The Raiders have received praise for their 2019 draft class, and rightfully so. Running back Josh Jacobs, tight end Foster Moreau and wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, among others, certainly impressed.

It’s the man at the top of the draft class, however, that many aren’t sure what to make of just yet. Defensive end Clelin Ferrell, the No. 4 overall choice a year ago and the first-ever draft pick by Raiders general manager Mike Mayock, generally underwhelmed during his rookie campaign.

The success of the rest of his class provided some cover for Ferrell’s lackluster season, but negative opinions of him from outside of the team still persist.

But that apparently doesn’t bother the former Clemson standout. He’s actually embracing the unmet expectations that surround him.

“I never look at pressure as something that can break you down. Pressure is a privilege for me. I never listen to what people had to say even though you know you hear it,” Ferrell said Thursday from training camp. “You definitely hear it, but for me, nobody knows what I know internally or what we know internally as a team. I just block a lot of that stuff out. It doesn’t matter. I know I had a good rookie year regardless of what anybody had to say about me. I’m just ready to improve on it and get to a Super Bowl this season.”

Much of the criticism directed at Ferrell stems from his low sack total from 2019. He racked up 4.5 such plays, and for a top-5 draft pick, more impact is expected.

Mayock and the Raiders coaching staff were clear early on, however: they weren’t anticipating high QB sack totals from Ferrell. He’s a well-rounded DE, rather than a one-dimensional pass rusher.

Plus, he battled food poisoning Week 5 against the Bears, losing 15 pounds during the season. He’s gained that weight back and added an additional 13 pounds of muscle, setting his playing weight at roughly 275.

It’s clear the outside voices heard by Ferrell didn’t stymie his physical growth. They may have even fueled it. And his stoicism fits the role of team leader, which is another reason Mayock and coach Jon Gruden selected him.

Now, all he has to do is use his attitude and brand-new body to fulfill expectations—not those from the outside, mind you, but rather those from inside the organization and Ferrell himself.

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Report: Raiders make offer to free agent Jadeveon Clowney

The Seahawks have more competition to sway star edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney back to Seattle as the Raiders have made him an offer.

If the Las Vegas Raiders have their way, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney will not be returning to the Seattle Seahawks in 2020.

104.3 The Fan’s Cecil Lammey reported on Monday that the Raiders have extended an offer to Clowney, joining the slew of organizations trying to tempt the pass-rusher to sign with them before the season starts.

As Lammey states, multiple other teams have made larger offers to Clowney, but he has yet to accept any of them. Currently, the Cleveland Browns stand at the top of the sweepstakes, having offered $3 million more than Seattle has offered.

Signing Clowney would give the Raiders a much-needed veteran presence at edge rusher to mentor young defensive ends Maxx Crosby and Clelin Ferrell, who combined for 14.5 sacks in 2019.

As it stands, the 2020 NFL season will not kick off for another two months, leaving Clowney plenty of time to wait for better options should he continue to test the waters.

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Raiders second-year pass rushers show up among latest 2020 NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds

Raiders second-year pass rushers show up among latest 2020 NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds

The latest odds for the 2020 NFL Defensive Player of the Year are out. Sitting alone at the top is Aaron Donald with 7/1 odds at BetOnline.ag. Right behind him is reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Nick Bosa at 9/1.

Bosa was taken second overall by the San Francisco 49ers. The next pass rusher taken was Clelin Ferrell by the Raiders, who was never in the running for Rookie of the Year honors.

It was the Raiders’ other rookie pass rusher who made a run at the award. Fourth-round pick Maxx Crosby finished with more sacks (10) than Bosa (9) and also had better run-defense numbers than his rookie of the year counterparts. But it was Bosa’s insane 80 pressures that had him run away with the award.

Ferrell and Crosby are the only Raiders defenders listed among the odds for Defensive Player of the Year. They are down this list a ways though. Despite Crosby having such a fantastic rookie season, he is sitting at 200/1 odds while Ferrell has shorter odds at 150/1.

That’s tied for 54th in the odds for Ferrell and 72nd for Crosby.

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What condition the position is in: Assessing the Raiders need at edge defender

What condition the position is in: Assessing the Raiders need at edge defender

With free agency a couple of weeks away, we check in on the Raiders’ edge defenders to give it a condition of either Strong, Stable, Unstable, Serious, or Critical.

Starters: Clelin Ferrell, Maxx Crosby

Backups: Arden Key, Jeremiah Valoaga, Ade Aruna, Kendall Donnerson, Kendal Vickers

Free agents: Benson Mayowa, Dion Jordan, Josh Mauro

The two starters came from last year’s draft class. Ferrell was the Raiders’ pick at fourth overall and struggled to get things going much of the season. The 6-4, 265-pounder was moved inside often while an edge rusher was brought in. He did put together a couple good games late in the season that showed he was capable of it.

Crosby was the find of last year’s draft. The 4th round pick put up 10.0 sacks on the season which was second among all rookies as well as the second-most ever by a Raiders rookie. He looks like the real deal, every-down edge rusher the Raiders desperately needed.

Key carried expectations that he would take the second-year leap. He didn’t. Then he was lost to injury in week seven. Heading into his third season, there’s still some hope he can be the third-down pass rusher the Raiders need him to be.

Mauro came in on a one-year deal and was named the starter. He got injured in week eight and by the time he was healthy, his job had been given to Maxx Crosby who had shown he was an every-down player who could stop the run and rush the passer. Mauro was a run stop specialist.

Mayowa was a major find by the Raiders, and led the team in sacks through much of the season, finishing with a career-high 7.0 sacks. But he didn’t get a sack over the final seven games of the season, in part because of Crosby’s emergence and in part because began playing Ferrell outside a bit more.

Dion Jordan was brought in midseason, just after he came off league suspension. He put up 2.0 sacks in seven games, despite often playing inside.

Condition: Unstable

Crosby is the star of this group. Ferrell was the 4th overall pick so he will be given every opportunity to prove he can step up in his second season. And indications are that he can. Where the instability comes is once you move past those two.

Who knows if Arden Key can finally be anything but preseason wonder. There’s no indication at this moment if the team intends on bringing back either Benson Mayowa or Dion Jordan. Getting one of them back would help this group tremendously. If not, they should really be looking for a replacement for their services.

Also see the condition of QB, RB, WR, TE, OT, G, C, and DI

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Raiders GM Mike Mayock on DE Clelin Ferrell: ‘He’s a perfectionist’

Raiders GM Mike Mayock on DE Clelin Ferrell ‘He’s a perfectionist’

The rookie season for No. 4 overall pick Clelin Ferrell was the story of two halves. In his first six games, Ferrell recorded just two tackles for a loss and two quarterback hits. But in his final eight games, he was able to accumulate six tackles for a loss, including 3.5 sacks.

While it wasn’t a dominant rookie season, Ferrell showed flashes of improvement, especially against the run. But the Raiders didn’t spend the No. 4 pick in the draft for him to be a solid run defender. They need him to be an elite pass rusher.

At the NFL combine, general manager Mike Mayock spoke about the second-year edge rusher, saying that “he’s a perfectionist” and praised his work ethic. Coming into the 2019 draft, Ferrell was known for his high-character and never-ending motor. Those two qualities will ensure that he finds at least some success in the NFL.

Mayock also mentioned that Ferrell might have been moved around the line of scrimmage too much as a rookie and the team is hoping to find him a permanent home as a left defensive end next season.

With Rod Marinelli now coming into the fold on defense, expect Ferrell’s hand usage and technique to dramatically improve in comparison to his rookie season. And if the Raiders can get Ferrell to become a more consistently sound pass-rusher, the sack totals should rise.

Look for Ferrell, along with Maxx Crosby, to be the team’s opening day starters at defensive end for the Las Vegas Raiders.

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