Kenny Clark | Nose Tackle | UCLA | 6'3" - 314 lbs.

 

Bio courtesy of UCLA:

2015 - Starter in all 13 games for a total of 29 consecutive starts ... Third-team AP All-America ... First-team All-Pac-12 Conference selection (AP and coaches) ... Team co-captain ... Appeared on the Bednarik, Nagurski, Outland and Lombardi Award Watch Lists ... Recorded career bests in tackles (75-second on team and 25th in Pac-12), sacks (6.0-second on team and tied for 10th in Pac-12) and tackles for loss (11.0-second on team and tied for 14th in Pac-12) ... He had the third highest PBU total on the team with five.

2014 - Starter in all 13 games ... Made 58 tackles (sixth on the team), 5.5 for loss ... Selected to the second-team all-conference squad ... Posted a career-high eight tackles at UVa and at California (1.5 for loss) ... Registered seven stops in games at Arizona State and at Colorado ... Had at least four tackles in eight games.

2013 - Appeared in all 13 games with four starts ... Made 31 tackles, four for loss ... Had a best game of six tackles vs. Arizona State ... Credited with one forced fumble ... Had nine multiple tackle games ... Named Sun Bowl Most Valuable Lineman ... Presented the Ed Kezirian "Coach K" Award for Academic and Athletic Balance at the team banquet.

HIGH SCHOOL - A four-star recruit according to both scout.com and rivals.com … Ranked No. 187 nationally by scout.com … SuperPrep All-West Region selection and the No. 24-ranked defensive tackle in the country … Ranked as the No. 20 defensive tackle in the nation and the No. 34 overall prospect on the West 150 list, according to scout.com … Regarded as the nation’s No. 24 defensive tackle and the No. 39 overall prospect in the state of California by rivals.com … ESPN.com’s No. 56 recruit in California and the No. 41-ranked defensive tackle in the nation … The No. 25-rated prospect in the CA/NV/HI region according to PrepStar … CIF Eastern Division Defensive Player of the Year … Also on the wrestling team … Team went 12-1 in his senior season … Credited with 71 tackles, 11.0 sacks for 64 yards lost, five forced fumbles, one fumble recovery … As a junior, had 31 tackles, 8.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss … Coached by Alex Pierce.

PERSONAL - Full Name: Kenneth Duane Clark, Jr. … Born in San Bernardino, CA… Parents: Kenneth and Leslie Clark … Has one brother and two sisters ... Lists the NFL's Ray Lewis as the athlete he admires the most … Enjoys spending time with his family ... Interested in becoming a coach.





OVERVIEW
Kenny Clark, Sr., went to prison in 2005, leaving 9-year-old Kenny, Jr. to mature faster than most of the boys his age. With the help of his mother and others, Clark maintained a good relationship with this father and turned the adversity into a positive, working hard to become an excellent high school player. He started four games as a freshman in 2013 (31 tackles, four for loss, one sack), then stayed a fixture in the lineup the following year. The 2014 second-team All-Pac-12 selection (58 tackles, 5.5 for loss) graduated to all-conference first team as a junior, using his strength and agility to finish second on the Bruins in tackles (75), tackles for loss (11) and sacks (six) despite lining up in the interior. Clark also showed a knack for batting down passes, breaking up five on the year.

PRO DAY RESULTS 3-cone: 7.73 seconds


STRENGTHS Former high school wrestler who can generate torque through upper body strength and leverage with power in his hips. Will hammer finesse guards and centers with initial punch and overtake the neutral zone. Quick to diagnose run direction and will race to set the edge against blocker. Low center of gravity and powerful core make him a challenging block to seal for linemen. Cranks up a nasty bull ­rush to collapse pocket when single blocked. Plays with plus instincts and football IQ. Has feel for trap blocks and double teams and is quick to read and react to screens. Can work his way through double teams and squeeze the gap.

WEAKNESSES Short and missing arm length to be better tackle finisher. Allowed unusual amount of broken tackles (4) for an interior lineman. Not a quick twitch athlete. Needs to do a better job of bringing feet and hips through contact. Gets too anxious pursuing down line and can lose backside contain. Despite strength, lack of size will be challenging in some matchups. Straight line bull­ rusher with average lateral quickness for twists.

DRAFT PROJECTION Round 2

SOURCES TELL US "What bothers me about Clark is that he was so much better against weaker competition than he was against better talent. I like him, but not like everyone is hyping him up." --­ AFC Pac-12 scout

NFL COMPARISON David Parry

BOTTOM LINE Has the strength and talent to be a plug and play 4-­3 nose, but lack of size and concerns about his value on third downs could push his draft value into the second day. Clark's wrestling background gives him a huge leg up at the point of attack and he won't be 21 until October which means he's still filling out his frame. Would benefit from a year of rotational work as he continues to physically mature.

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They had their choice, obviously this is the guy they wanted.

I like him.

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Not a flashy pick by any means, but he will be needed and get reps right away. Young guy that has a lot of upside.

I'm interested to hear if you guys wish we would have went with another UCLA defender at that spot or traded back?

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I wanted a D-lineman and this is who the Packers feel is going to be the guy so I'm pretty happy. I thought he was the more conservative higher floor lower ceiling type, but he's still young enough that maybe he can develop into a stud.

Teds gotta land a DL pick eventually... Right?

Hard not to think Datone Jones 2.0

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He doesnt even play anything like datone and isnt built the same so yeah he doesnt seem anything like datone 2.0. Do you even bother to learn anything about a player before you cry about them?

Well, I obviously have no clue. I had ten, count 'em, ten DL ahead of Clark still on the board.

And, yes, I would have taken the other UCLA guy before him, too. (microfracture risk and all).

But of those on the board at #27... I would have picked any of these before either UCLA guy:
Josh Billings (better now and bigger upside at the same position)
A'Shawn Robinson (ditto)
Vernon Butler DT/De
Kevin Dodd, DE
Jason Spriggs, OT
Jarran Reed, DT
Chris Jones, DT/DE
Su'a Cravens LB
Noah Spence DL
Mackensie Alexander DB
Cody Whitehair OG/RT
Hassan Ridgeway DT
Austin Johnson DT

Well, it's better than the Nick Perry pick was.

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Isn't your expertise reading poetry to fat girls?

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Don't know who Josh Billings is , but Andrew Billings is pretty good :)

Honestly I wanted Ragland with the pick, but mainly I wanted a front seven pick. We got ourselves a powerful NT who is only 20 years old. He still has room to grow. I like it

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The artist formerly known as Rajiroar is just pissed Kenny will be replacing his favorite bust.

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