I remember the exact moment I first heard the name Kenny Clark. It was back in 2015, and I was writing a preview of a September matchup between Arizona and UCLA during the halcyon days of Inside the Pylon. While studying the Bruins’ defense, I came across this play from a nose tackle, highlighted by the white box pre-snap:
Since that moment, I’ve been a fan.
Clark has lived up to the expectations I, and the Green Bay Packers, had for him when the Packers drafted him in the first round of the 2016 draft. 2019 might have been his best season yet, as he saw a career-high 971 snaps and made the most of them. Clark tallied career-high numbers in pressures (69), sacks (9), hurries (58), tackles (46) and stops (45).
It is rare to see sideline-to-sideline ability from an interior defensive lineman, but Clark brings that to the table, along with great awareness for the position. But you also have to take note of his strength, power and leverage. Watch what he does here on this running play from the Carolina Panthers. Off the snap he drives his left arm into the right shoulder of the center on this zone running play, driving the center back. Once he gets control of the blocker his hands are fast enough that he can flare out his left arm to control the ball-carrier, while using his right arm and shoulder to maintain leverage over the center:
With Clark on the inside and the dueling Smiths on the outside, the Packers defense is in solid shape up front heading into 2020.
No doubt about it — Clark will be an integral part of Green Bay’s defense for years to come.