Every young, ascending player that isn’t an instant superstar must go through a phase of being underrated. For some, the phase doesn’t end until national recognition finally catches up to the consistent quality of player’s performances. For a select few, even a Pro Bowl nod isn’t enough to shed the underrated label.
According to Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire, defensive lineman Kenny Clark is the Green Bay Packers’ most underrated player entering the 2020 season.
A first-round pick in 2016, Clark has strung together three straight fantastic seasons, capped off by last year’s overdue Pro Bowl selection. He finished second among interior defenders in total pressures, trailing only perennial All-Pro Aaron Donald.
Over the last three seasons, Clark has 146 total pressures and 116 run stops.
However, nose tackles in the 3-4 defense often get overlooked, especially when they play on a defense with another emerging star. In Green Bay, that star is Za’Darius Smith, who burst onto the scene in 2019, leading the NFL in total pressures and joining Clark as a first-time Pro Bowler.
But Clark remains one of the rarest players in the game: A truly disruptive, every-down nose tackle who consistently affects the passing game as a rusher. Most nose tackles are gap-plugging, double-eating run stuffers. Clark can do all of that, but he stays on the field for passing downs because he can consistently collapse the pocket around the quarterback, a hugely valuable skill set for a 314-pounder.
It can be safely argued that Clark is one of the NFL’s five best defensive linemen entering the 2020 season, although it’s doubtful he’s that highly regarded among most casual fans living outside Wisconsin. In this way, Clark is hugely underrated.
Who else would be considered underrated in Green Bay? Running back Aaron Jones has a case, but he’s far more nationally known after scoring an NFL-high 19 touchdowns in 2019. Second-year guard Elgton Jenkins is an ascending player coming off a terrific rookie season. Safety Adrian Amos is one of the most consistent and reliable safeties in football.
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