Gang Green Nation
Taking a look at a Jets defensive back prospect
The New York Jets recently signed former Notre Dame defensive back Jordan Clark as an undrafted free agent. Today we break Clark down in detail.
The 24-year old Clark is listed at 5’9” and 184 pounds. He was an honorable mention all-PAC 12 selection in one of his five seasons with Arizona State. He transferred to Notre Dame last season and started eight games as the Fighting Irish reached the national title game.
Background
Clark was undersized as a high school recruit and then had an injury ahead of his final season, so he was only a three star recruit and ultimately accepted a scholarship at Arizona State.
During his first season in 2019, he barely played, registering five tackles in two games. However, he started two games in 2020 and had 16 tackles and two pass breakups.
His role grew in 2021, although he again only started two games. He ended the season with 21 tackles and his first career interception.
2022 was a breakout year for Clark, who started nine games and had 47 tackles with career highs for tackles for loss (three) and interceptions (two, one of which he returned for a touchdown). He would earn all-PAC 12 honorable mention recognition at the end of the season.
In 2023, he started 10 times and had a career high 50 tackles. He was also third in the PAC-12 with nine pass breakups.
At the end of the 2023 season, Clark opted to transfer to Notre Dame and played a significant role on their team as they made a run to the national title game. He started eight of 16 games and had 37 tackles, five pass breakups and an interception.
Having not been invited to the NFL scouting combine or the Senior Bowl, Clark participated in Shrine Bowl week but did not play in the game. He was not widely expected to be selected in April.
After Clark went undrafted, the Jets signed him to an undrafted free agency deal with $170K guaranteed.
Let’s move onto some more in-depth analysis of what Clark brings to the table as a player, based on extensive research and film study.
Measurables/Athleticism
Clark is undersized, with short arms and small hands. However, the question is whether he is athletic enough to play cornerback at the NFL level.
Some sites were listing Clark as a safety after he only ran 4.64 at his pro day and posted poor agility numbers. However, the Jets continue to list him as a cornerback. He would obviously be small for a safety.
His other pro day numbers were good, as he had a 36.5-inch vertical, 124-inch broad jump and 18 bench press reps.
Usage
In terms of his experience, Clark primarily played as a slot cornerback in college. However, he started a couple of games at free safety in 2022 when there were injuries and found himself following a man in motion out wide, contributing in the box,...
