Las Vegas Raiders select LSU defensive tackle Neil Farrell in 2022 NFL Draft

After starting his career as a defensive end for LSU, Neil Farrell made the switch to defensive tackle in 2021. He put up some solid numbers, and now he’s heading to the NFL.

The Las Vegas Raiders traded up to select Farrell in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Farrell had an impressive final season in Baton Rouge, and now will take his talents to the professional level. The Raiders gave up picks 165 and 169, they used pick 126.

Farrell started all 12 games as a graduate senior this past season, totaling 45 tackles, 2.0 sacks and a career-high 9.5 tackles for loss. It was quite a way to cap off a five-year career with LSU that included 21 starts in 51 games over that time.

Out of high school, Farrell was a four-star recruit and the No. 18 recruit in the state of Alabama from the Class of 2017, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Neil Farrell

Although Farrell wasn’t seen as a first-round talent in the weeks leading up to the draft, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein argued he can still make an impact despite going in the later rounds. He pointed to his size and ability to “bully opponents” as reasons why he’s still an impressive prospect.

“Nose tackle prospect with a well-earned reputation for making it hard on blockers to do their job in the run game,” Zierlein wrote. “Farrell has seen personal maturity and development in his play that allowed him to consistently bully opponents as a physical force in the middle in 2021, but he tested poorly at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine.

“He will be somewhat tethered to home base but could help in upgrading a leaky run defense. Farrell is a two-gapping nose with Day 3 value.”