2022 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: LB Damone Clark, LSU

Damone Clark is recovering from recent spinal fusion surgery and isn't expected to be ready until 2023. Does he offer enough to warrant taking a flier on?

Damone Clark, LB

Height: 6’2 ½”
Weight: 239 lbs.
Class: Senior
School: LSU
Arm length: 33”
Hands: 9 ¾”

---

A former four-star recruit out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he attended Southern Lab High School, Clark was the 20th ranked inside linebacker, and 13th Louisiana recruit during the 2018 cycle. 

Clark underwent spinal fusion surgery in March of 2022. He is expected to make a full recovery, but won’t be available during his rookie season.

Notables

SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Clark had a phenomenal senior season at LSU, where he wore the coveted #18 jersey, a privilege awarded to team leaders on and off the field. Clark recorded 135 tackles, 15 for a loss, 5.5 sacks, three passes defended, an interception, and two forced fumbles during the 2021 season. He also added 23 pressures and 46 STOPS.

He finished his career at LSU with 249 tackles, 23 for a loss, ten sacks, an interception, four passes defended, two forced fumbles, 46 pressures, and 83 STOPS. Clark was the leader of a young and aggressive defense. Clark led the SEC in tackles and was second in the nation.

He was a Dick Butkus Award Finalist, a Second-Team All-American (Walter Camp, Sporting News), and was a 2021 Second-Team All-SEC selection. Clark attended the Reese’s Senior Bowl and the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. An MRI revealed the severity of his injury that required spinal fusion surgery; he is expected to make a full recovery. Here are his testing numbers from the Combine.

• 40-yard-dash: 4.57 
• Vertical jump: 36.5
• Broad jump: 127
• 3-Cone: 7.12

Strengths

Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

• Excellent size and athletic combination
• Sideline-sideline range, excellent foot speed in pursuit
• Great tackler who delivers good pop on contact
• Large tackle radius who finishes tackles strong
• Good open field tackler
• Does a great job moving laterally through trash and staying square to contact when necessary
• Gets narrow when decisively attacking downhill, relentless in pursuit
• When diagnosed, his ability to quickly start and go 0-100 is excellent
• Made solid plays in man coverage - has the athletic ability to be solid as a man covering linebacker
• Solid overall instinct in zone coverage
• Gets hands into passing lanes to disrupt the trajectory of throws
• Provided versatility as a very good blitzer
• Would align on the EDGE and act as a rusher in passing situations
• Amazing competitive nature and a true leader

Can Improve

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

• Knack to bounce on his feet while reading plays - at times would lead to slower start
• Better athlete with full head of steam than with changing direction in close quarters (he’s not deficient in that area)
• Processing struggled a bit with jet-motions and quarterbacks entering the mesh point
• Could be a more consistent run defender
• Could use arm length more consistently to keep blocks away from his chest
• Injury could prevent him from seeing action in 2022

Summary

irby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Overall, Damone Clark has an excellent size/athletic ability profile, and he’s a good tackler in open space. He doesn’t consistently strive in the box due to processing malfunctions with movement and a lack of maximization of length when deconstructing blocks, but he isn’t deficient in these areas. 

Clark is still developing, and his best football came in 2021. There’s still room to grow, but the injury will drop his draft stock. If he returns fully healthy, he could be a steal.

 GRADE: 6.28 M (“M” stands for "medical")

---

---

Join the Giants Country Community

• Sign up for our FREE digest newsletter
• Follow and like us on Facebook
• Submit your questions for our mailbag
• Listen and subscribe to the daily LockedOn Giants podcast.
• Subscribe and like the new LockedOn Giants YouTube Channel
• Sign up for our FREE message board forums