Jerrod Clark NFL Draft Overview
Position: Defensive Tackle/Interior Defensive Lineman
Height: 6′-4″
Weight: 334 pounds
School: Coastal Carolina
2023 NFL Draft: Jerrod Clark Scouting Report
Jerrod Clark began his college football career in 2018, in Conway, South Carolina at Coastal Carolina University. That season, Clark did not see any action in any of Coastal Carolina’s games, and originally came to the school as a tight end. After redshirting his 2018 season, Clark missed all of the 2019 season, due to injury. The decision was also made to move Clark from tight end to a defensive lineman. During the 2020 season, Clark played in all 12 of the Chanticleers games, making 31 tackles (10 solo, 21 assisted), including two sacks, and defending against a pass. In 2021, Clark started on the defensive line in 11 of Coastal Carolina’s 13 games. Clark made 34 total tackles (11 solo, 24 assisted), including two sacks, and defending against a single pass. In his final season in the Palmetto State, in 2022, Clark played in 12 of the Chanticleers 13 games. Clark had a career-high with 40 tackles (12 solo, 28 assisted), including a career-best three and a half sacks.
Strengths
- Has leadership qualities;
- Has the ability to fight through double teams;
- Fires off the snap and gets into his opponent, quickly and efficiently;
- Has extremely long arms (6′-10″ wingspan);
- Has great footwork for a player of his size.
Weaknesses
- Consistently winds up on the ground;
- Appears to have a weak lower body and core;
- Needs to improve hand-fighting skills to disengage offensive linemen;
- Lower body is not prototypical of an NFL defensive tackle/interior defensive lineman;
- Needs to show more consistency in hand fighting ability.
NFL Comparison: A less athletic, Travis Jones
Teams With Need At Position: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints
Projection: Rounds 6-7
Bottom Line on Jerrod Clark
Jerrod Clark is a player that many teams will be intrigued by. He has leadership qualities that would help a young team especially. He is also able to fight through double teams and fires off the snap and gets into his opponent with quickness and ease. He also has incredibly long arms and great footwork, for a player of his size. What may scare some teams off from using a pick on Clark is, he consistently ends up on the ground which cannot happen at the NFL level.
Clark will also need to improve his lower body mass and strength as well as his core muscle strength, as he does not reflect the typical lower body size or strength of an NFL defensive lineman. Clark will also need to improve his hand-fighting skills. Clark needs to be more consistent in using his hand-fighting skills when attacking his opponent. Clark will also need to disengage his opponent’s hands from his body, which he rarely did, while at Coastal Carolina. Although it should not be an issue, some NFL teams will be petty, and raise concerns about his injury in 2019, which will likely take them out of the bidding for Clark’s services. Clark’s strengths seem to outweigh his weaknesses which will likely lead to him being drafted in either round six or seven in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft.
Main Photo: Matt Pendleton – USA TODAY Sports
