Blogging The Boys
Here is our report on defensive back Alijah Clark
We begin looking into this year's undrafted free agent signings made by the Dallas Cowboys and give you our scouting report on each player. Today we are looking at defensive back Alijah Clark from Syracuse.
DB
Syracuse Orange
Senior
4-star recruit
6’1”
188 lbs
Alijah Clark, or also known by his nickname “Cinco” (a nickname given his mother when he started playing football at age five), was born on July 11, 2003, in Camden, New Jersey, Clark. He was a standout student-athlete at Camden High School, earning a four-star recruit status from 247Sports. He played both wide receiver and defensive back in high school, showcasing versatility with 21 receptions for 357 yards and four touchdowns on offense, and 22 tackles on defense during an abbreviated 2020 season.
Clark’s collegiate journey began at Rutgers in 2021 where he appeared in seven games, recording six tackles, one tackle for loss, and one interception. He made his collegiate debut against Temple and notched his first interception against Michigan State.
The following year saw Clark transfer to Syracuse where he started 11 of 12 games at safety. He tallied 56 tackles, three tackles for loss, and two pass breakups. Notably, he was not responsible for a single passing touchdown over 576 defensive snaps, contributing to a defense that ranked 14th nationally in passing defense.
In 2023, Clark started 12 of 13 games, recording 66 tackles, five tackles for loss, three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble. His two fumble recoveries tied for third-most in the ACC that season. He had standout performances against Army (eight tackles) and Clemson (six tackles, two pass breakups).
In his final collegiate season, Clark appeared in 12 games, accumulating 61 tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception, and four pass breakups. He earned Defensive MVP in the Holiday Bowl after recording six tackles and an interception against Washington State.
591 Defensive Snaps
326 Coverage Snaps
61 Total Tackles
3 TFL
4 Pass Breakups
1 INT
92.3 Passer Rating Allowed
68% Completion Rate Allowed
1 Penalty
10-Yard Split- 1.53s (78%)
40-Yard Dash- 4.50s (73%)
Vert- 33” (19%)
Broad- 122” (58%)
N/A
Speed- 75
Acceleration- 76
Agility- 72
Strength- 66
Tackling- 64
Run Defense- 75
Zone Coverage- 73
Man Coverage- 67
Press- 66
Discipline- 91
