Put me down as predicting Jerrod Clark to score a big-man touchdown in the NFL one day. The Coastal Carolina defensive tackle is considered a late-round prospect for the 2023 NFL Draft, but he actually began his college career playing tight end.
It’s not every day a player goes from playing tight end to becoming a 340-pound defensive tackle, but hey, Jerrod Clark isn’t every other player. Clark performed well for the Chanticleers defensively once he made the positional switch, becoming a key part of the defensive line from 2020-2022.
Clark finished with 74 tackles, including 13.5 tackles for loss and five sacks over his final two seasons. He shined during his final season, recording 41 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks in 2022. He developed into one of the more productive defensive tackles in the Sun Belt, earning Third Team All-Sun Belt honors in 2022. Additionally, Clark served as a team captain in 2022.
Massive presence
Clark’s size (6-4, 340 pounds) makes him a unique NFL prospect. Given his size and strength, Clark can fill a major hole on the interior of a defensive line, forcing offensive lines to account for him as a run-stopper. As a pass rusher, Clark possesses a solid motor and bull rush that allows him to record sacks, especially if a quarterback holds onto the ball for an extended period of time.
A quick first step benefited Clark in college, as even at his size he could blow past an interior offensive lineman on his way into the backfield. Coastal Carolina had significant defensive flaws in 2022, but Clark’s play on the defensive line was not one of those areas of weakness.
Not every NFL team will likely need a 340-pound nose tackle, but for defenses that want a massive nose tackle in the center of their defense, Clark is an option in the later rounds of the draft. He’s a unique player and one that likely requires a schematic fit for a team to fall in love with his play.
Late-round prospect
Clark is viewed by most draft experts as a late-round NFL Draft prospect, although he did receive an invite to the NFL Combine. A good performance at that event could turn the draft sleeper into a more recognizable name.
Perhaps most intriguing with Clark is his transition to defensive line. Clark didn’t enter college expecting to be a nose tackle, but he transitioned from offense to defense with relative ease, a sign of impressive athleticism and football intellect.
If Clark went from an offensive player into one of the top defensive tackles in the Sun Belt in a few seasons, what could he do with full-time training and instruction at nose tackle on an NFL team? It’s likely teams have yet to see Clark’s ceiling when it comes to his play at the position, and we might not see that for a few seasons as he continues to build on his limited experience at the nose tackle spot.
Bennett Conlin is a college football contributor for HERO Sports, and he works full-time covering sports betting industry news and legislation for Sports Handle and US Bets.
