Big shoes to fill: Replacing 2019 NFL Draft first round picks

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 01: Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Chase Young (2) reacts after getting the sack against the Northwestern Wildcats during the Big Ten championship game on December 1, 2018 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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TALLAHASSEE, FL – OCTOBER 27: Xavier Thomas #3 of the Clemson Tigers in action during the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on October 27, 2018, in Tallahassee, Florida. Clemson won 59-10. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Xavier Thomas – Clemson

Replacing: Clelin Ferrell, Oakland Raiders

There was never much of a doubt that Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell was going to be a first-round pick. At the same time, it’s also safe to assume that very few people outside of Oakland Raiders general managers Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden knew that he would be a top-five pick. Yet, the Raiders gave us our first pick shock of the night by taking Ferrell with the fourth overall selection.

Over the past two seasons, Ferrell was an absolute monster off of the edge for Dabo Swinney’s group. He amassed 121 total tackles, an unreal 38 tackles for loss and a just-as-impressive 21 sacks over the last two seasons, not to mention his five forced fumbles over that span as well. Suffice it to say, that’s a lot of production to replicate.

The thing about a program like Clemson, however, is that they often just reload and that is indeed the case with replacing Ferrell. At 6-foot-3, 260 pounds, Xavier Thomas was the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2018 class and has immense amounts of athleticism and polish for a player with limited college experience As a true freshman working as a rotational player, Thomas put up 8.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

Thomas will certainly have to grow a bit to be the defensive leader that Ferrell was off the edge on a game-to-game basis. Having said that, with Thomas’ obvious promise, Clemson should feel comfortable about replacing their lost first-round pick, the first of three that we’ll discuss.

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