Recruitment

Clark was originally committed to Tulane, but it was either the local draw (Clark hails from Marist high school) or the lure of playing for a bigger school that led him to Tech. Clark does not have the most impressive offer list with Tulane, Army, and a pre-Lane Kiffin FAU. However, he was reportedly drawing interest from other ACC schools, like Wake Forest and Louisville.

Clark is ranked 2-stars (5.3) by Rivals and 3-stars (.8072) by the 247 composite rankings. Those who may be dismayed by his lowish ranking should take some comfort in the play of two low ranked offensive line true freshmen last season. Neither Kenny Cooper nor Jahaziel Lee was highly regarded by the recruiting services, but both played admirably in their true freshman seasons and look to play a big part in future Tech lines.

Film Study

Size

Clark is listed at 6’4” 280 pounds. That is a little light, but he should definitely have some room to bulk up in the college weight room. He played tackle in high school, but he could probably end up at either tackle or guard in college.

Athleticism

Clark’s athleticism is evident from the very beginning of this tape. He beats players half his size to the spot. He gets to the second level quickly and is able to make blocks in space against linebackers and secondary players. At his size that is no mean feat. He is routinely able to push back defenders. That is what you want to see out of a guy who towers over much of his competition. He just dominates them with both his strength and agility.

Skill

As you can see, Marist also runs an option based system. I am not at all sure if that gives him a leg up on learning Paul Johnson’s offense, but it probably can’t hurt. Despite the similarities in offense, we never see Clark cut blocking, so that is something he may have to learn, but given his athleticism I can see that going well. Clark shows some some solid skill here. He does a good job of blocking his assignments, although he sometimes overruns the defender. He seems to use his hands well, but with his combination of strength and athleticism we rarely see a defender who has the skill to get off his block. The big concern here is the same as every lineman coming into college. He gets too high on blocks and is able to make up for it with pure strength, which will not work in college. He needs to work on coming off the snap. Sometimes he gets right out there like he should, but sometimes he springs straight up before moving into his block. He needs to work on his consistency there. All in all, even if he doesn’t totally have the skill set yet, he has great athleticism and is a smart player so the skills will come in time.

What to Expect?

Georgia Tech is a little shallow on the line, so we could see some freshman get some play time. Given the slew of offensive lineman that Georgia Tech signed this year (Clark is either one of 4 or 5 depending on which position Boe Tufele ends up at), I really have no idea who would be first in line. They will probably fight it out for some backup positions this year. After that, I see no reason that Clark can’t be a big piece of the future offensive line for the Jackets. I like his tape and would not be surprised at all to see him turn into a strong player for Tech, like Lee or Cooper, or dare I say Shaq Mason.