2018 NFL Draft: Clelin Ferrell & Austin Bryant returning to Clemson

A surprising twist comes to the 2018 NFL Draft with Clelin Ferrell’s decision

Four members of the Clemson Tigers have decided to remain with the team and forgo their opportunity to enter the 2018 NFL Draft. Underclassmen Clelin Ferrell, Austin Bryant, Kendall Joseph, Mitch Hyatt, and Mark Fields notified the school they will return next season.

Ferrell’s return was particularly surprising considering many draft analysts gave him a first round grade and projected him to be a top-20 pick in some mock drafts. Bryant was also given high praise by many and fell into the early rounds.

It’s certainly a risk for Ferrell considering the amount of money he’s passing on by staying at Clemson. Last year’s 14th overall pick Derek Barnett, a pass rusher from Tennessee, signed a four-year, $12,850,772 deal with Philadelphia. That’s a hefty number for Ferrell to ignore despite already having won a championship with the Tigers.

Several of Ferrell’s teammates have already declared for the draft, including wide receivers Ray-Ray McCloud and Deon Cain, safety Van Smith, and guard Taylor Hearn.

Junior interior defensive lineman Christian Wilkins, a projected first-round pick, has not made his official decision whether to forgo his final collegiate season.

With Ferrell not declaring the NFL Draft, five defensive ends are projected to be first round picks: N.C. State’s Bradley Chubb, Ohio State’s Sam Hubbard, Oklahoma’s Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, UTSA’s Marcus Davenport, and LSU’s Arden Key.

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Now a prospect for the 2019 NFL Draft Ferrell will work against Ohio State’s Nick Bosa, among others, to be the first defensive lineman drafted. In 28 games as a starter Ferrell has recorded 15.5 sacks and 111 tackles for the Tigers.