To round out the 2017 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens selected Virginia Tech safety Chuck Clark with their sixth-round pick.
With Eric Weddle, Tony Jefferson and Lardarius Webb in already, Clark projects as a borderline 53-man roster selection at best, but could provide depth at safety for a veteran-laden group.
Clark is an average athlete who was a four-year contributor and two-year captain for the Hokies, providing the Ravens with experience and leadership on the back end. The Clark selection is reminiscent of the sixth-round selection of Maurice Canady in 2016 by the Ravens – an experienced player who is well-rounded but stands out in no one aspect.
Finishing his career with 14.5 tackles for loss, Clark has the ability to contribute near the line of scrimmage or on the back end. Given his status as an athlete and the on-and-off impact he had in college, Clark’s ceiling is likely as a backup safety who can play either safety position.
The late rounds of the draft are moreso about finding legitimate backups than actual starters, and Clark has that potential at the next level. He faces some stiff roster competition in 2017, so we will pen Clark as the prime rookie candidate to suffer an “injury” in the preseason and be redshirted for his rookie year.
