Kei’Trel Clark oozes a confidence that most sixth-round draft picks don’t have or perhaps shouldn’t have at this stage in their career. Then again, how many sixth-round draft picks are getting first and second team reps in their first preseason training camp?

While some of that is down to the uncertainty that surrounds the cornerback room, Clark was also selected by the team because he is a shining example of the kind of player that Monti Ossenfort, Dave Sears and Jonathan Gannon want in this new era of Cardinals football.

While it was the full-length dive to break up Jarret Stidham’s pass to Marquez Callaway in last week’s preseason victory over the Broncos that caught the eye, it’s Clark’s demeanour and personality that has been most heralded since he joined the team. 

He’s certainly earned the admiration and respect of fellow rookie Michael Wilson who gushed over the cornerback telling reporters that “he’s got a special personality, one of the most special personalities I’ve come across” and that the reason for Clark’s ability is because “he controls the controllables”. 

That’s something that is best highlighted by the 22-year-old’s competitive nature and relentless study of opposition receivers.

While in college, Clark is said to have compiled dossiers on the top two receivers of each team that Louisville were scheduled to face, something he is now replicating in camp with Wilson revealing that Clark has “2 pages of notes on me, this is what Mike does on this release, that release, this route”. 

That level of insight has helped the former Manchester high schooler foster an incredibly astute sense of anticipation and a high football IQ. Clark breaks down some of his plays that were a direct result of these attributes in a brilliant video with Bootleg Football that is a must-watch for Cardinals supporters and general football fans alike. 

In that breakdown, the rookie also notes a key aspect of his game away from studying film as he says “I pride myself on being a person that just throws my body in there with no care”.

That intensity is littered across his college tape (recording 165 tackles and 12.5 tackles for loss) and was also on show against the Broncos when, prior to the diving PBU, he stopped tight end Adam Trautman dead in his tracks with a flying tackle following a reception. 

Named to the Second-Team All ACC in 2020 and 2021, Clark’s feistiness was nurtured by interactions with older family members and friends on the streets of Midlothian, Virginia where he was “the underdog since I came out of the womb” and he combines that with natural quickness (Clark recorded a 4.42 40 at the Combine) to be a menace at the catch point. 

Able to match most receivers step for step, the young corner has a knack of extending himself at the right time to make contact with the ball. This led to 34 passes defended and 5 interceptions through his college career. 

Though he is quickly jumping up fan’s favourite rookie charts, there are a couple of reasons that Clark was available to the Arizona Cardinals at the 180th pick.

Firstly, at 5ft 10” and weighing 181 pounds at pre-draft tests, Clark is an undersized corner, something that will be exposed at times despite his pre-game preparation and dogged mentality. 

Secondly, in what feels like a theme for this Cardinals team, Clark spent last season dealing with the fallout of an ACL tear he suffered in 2021 acknowledging that he “didn’t feel like myself”. 

These two factors were massive contributors to a senior year stutter for the corner, which was only magnified by his move to the slot.

Even though he has been praised as having “inside/outside versatility”, 2022 was the first year that Kei’Trel played a significant amount of time inside and his build was frequently exploited by opposition teams who lined their largest receiver across from Clark as he gave up a career record amount of penalties (including 4 for pass interference) and seven touchdowns. 

He might struggle to consistently hit the elite levels attributed to him by PFF who awarded him with an 89.8 grade (with 90 in coverage) following his 29 defensive snaps against the Broncos, but there is more than enough confidence within the organisation that a fully fit and firing Clark can be a major contributor to the team over the next couple of years.

He’ll be supported by fellow Louisville alum Gannon and CB coach Ryan Smith who recruited Clark in high school.

As already noted, Kei’Trel himself doesn’t lack any confidence telling Paul Calvisi and Ron Wolfley on the Big Red Rage that the quarterback he’d most like to pick off for his first career interception is “Pat Mahomes” because “you got to go against the best”. 

Clark may get that opportunity tonight as the Cardinals face the Kansas City Chiefs in their second preseason outing, depending on when Clark rolls out and how much time the best quarterback in the game is given by Andy Reid.

He’ll almost certainly face Rashee Rice who is making a rookie splash of his own and who’ll benefit from a far more functional offensive line than the Broncos presented last week. 

Should he get the chance to take the field across from Mahomes, it’ll be another example of Clark’s mindset of manifestation – he told team staff that he’d be “once a Cardinals, always a Cardinal” during his Top 30 visit to the desert and released a video on his social media shortly after being drafted where he tells a friend about feeling like he’ll end up a Cardinal. 

And if the sixth-round pick DOES intercept Patrick Mahomes tonight, it wouldn’t be a shock. After all, Kei’Trel Clark isn’t like most other sixth-round picks.

Media Credits: Arizona Cardinals, ACC, 12 News, Icon Sportswire