At 22 years of age, Kenny Clark was recently listed as the 69th best player of 2017 at profootballfocus.com. With Clark already being that good, it begs the question: Just how good can Kenny Clark be?! Here's the topic this week on the Friday Film Room:

Rookie called Kenny Clark a “stud”, Marques called him a “beast” and Bill called him “ascending.” If I were to weigh in, I’d say, “all of the above.” For those who followed my “Grading the Pack” series on CHTV throughout the season, or listened to the radio show last week, you’ll know that Kenny Clark was my highest overall rated Packer defender for the entirety of 2017. That’s nothing to overlook considering he’s a 22 year old, second year defensive tackle who saw limited in action in his rookie season.

Clark was one of the few bright spots on defense in 2017, along with probably Blake Martinez and the re-emergence of Damarious Randall. The beautiful thing about Clark is that he was fantastic in all phases. It was hoped/expected that Clark would be able to hold up in the run game early on in his career (you don’t draft 315 pound defensive tackles in the first round without that assumption), but his pass rush ability was also well ahead of schedule.

Clark registered 4.5 sacks in 2017, after not registering a single sack in 2016. He also added 55 tackles, but the bulk of Clark’s work went unnoticed in the stat sheet. Whether it was collapsing pockets, freeing linebackers, or simply holding up at the point of attack, Clark showed everything you want from a Pro-Bowl caliber defensive tackle.

I went on record last week saying that Clark should have made the Pro-Bowl ahead of Daniels. I thought overall on a down by down basis Clark was the more consistent player and impacted the game positively in all facets. While Clark didn’t get the nod, his time will surely come if he continues the torrid pace that he’s on this early in his career.

As I started breaking down the tape, there was a single player that kept coming back to me as a comparison. This player was a six-time Pro Bowler, a five-time All Pro, played in 203 games over his 13 year career and racked up 373 tackles, 63 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, 5 interceptions, and 4 touchdowns.

That player is Kevin Williams, former defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings. Here’s a look at the film going back and forth between the two players and you can see for yourself some of the similarities that they have:

How good can @KCBoutThatLife be?

He’s doing things at age 21-22 that Kevin Williams did in his prime. This Kevin Williams:

6x Pro Bowler
5x All-Pro
13 year career
203 games played
373 tackles
63 sacks
10 forced fumbles
5 ints
4 touchdowns pic.twitter.com/Im4NdSWpKk

— Andy Herman (@SconnieSports) February 8, 2018

Kenny Clark is a 6’3’’ – 314 pound defensive tackle drafted in the 1^st round out of UCLA.

Kevin Williams was a 6’5’’ 311 pound defensive tackle drafted in the 1^st round out of Oklahoma State.

While Williams was a bit taller, they both possess the unique ability to both hold up in the run game, and be a menace as a pass rusher. To me, this is the type of ceiling that Kenny Clark has. While not exactly the same, you can get a type of the similar athletic profiles that both Williams and Clark had coming out of college (credit @MathBomb):

For those who may not remember, Kevin Williams made up one half of the dominating “Williams Wall” in Minnesota. He and fellow anchor Pat Williams were nearly unmovable on the interior in the run game, and it was really Kevin Williams who provided the majority of the pass rush up the middle.

Similarly, Clark and Daniels were the best thing Green Bay had going on defense in 2017, and I fully expect new defensive coordinator Mike Pettine to begin building his defense from the ground up with Clark and Daniels in mind. Good defenses start out by being stout right at the point of attack and allowing their linebackers to roam free. Kenny Clark is not only going to get better himself over the course of the next few years, he’s going to make the players around him better as well.

Let’s go to the film to take a look at some of what Kenny Clark brings to the table:

Quickness/First Step/Athletic Ability

Daniels and Clark are just flat out fun to watch together. Both with the quick first step forcing the play backside where HaHa easily cleans up. pic.twitter.com/BYX2VQy4yo

— Andy Herman (@SconnieSports) February 1, 2018

#Packers hit a few nice T/E stunts vs WAS.. Neither got home for a sack but definitely got QB hits/hurries..

Clark/Fackrell combo here pic.twitter.com/F4oLGGFxKv

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) August 21, 2017

Power

One of my favorite plays of the game. Daniels, Matthews & Clark all just showing off their power. I’m not sure which I’m more impressed by: Daniels splitting the double team, Clark’s raw power or Clays’ ability to disengage for the sack. pic.twitter.com/gNgIFmK9yG

— Andy Herman (@SconnieSports) December 7, 2017

Kenny Clark really starting to flash. Takes on the guard w/ ease and makes the tfl. Nice play by Clay as well. pic.twitter.com/z8JuwBEtnZ

— Andy Herman (@SconnieSports) August 15, 2017

#Packers Kenny Clark key pass rush in red zone in 4thQ... Forced Jameis out of pocket and throws illegal pass beyond LOS..

Pure strength, hands and leverage here vs LG.. Wow. @KCBoutThatLife pic.twitter.com/yzgBhzLsdw

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) December 4, 2017

Kenny Clark can anchor down that double team, but also dance/swim around it.. Becoming very difficult to block... pic.twitter.com/jEmXQqWkqM

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) October 17, 2017

With one arm RT @BenFennell_NFL: Leverage... Wins.

Kenny Clark straight bending Whitehair backwards pic.twitter.com/AjgKs81fsJ

— Rambo Ron ™ (@RDJordan5) October 2, 2017

Block Shedding

Pleasure watching you this season @KCBoutThatLife - hands, hips, eyes, locate/shed... Keep grinding, Mr. Clark... pic.twitter.com/791JhsmU6I

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) January 2, 2018

First snap vs MIN for rookie DT Kenny Clark (38 total snaps).. Excellent hands/leverage vs OC. Too bad @Mike_Daniels76 is also pretty good.. pic.twitter.com/qFkc67vStu

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) September 20, 2016

Leverage/Balance/Agility

#Packers DT Kenny Clark (@KCBoutThatLife) played a strong game vs CAR

Plays w/ good leverage in run game, eyes up, sheds blocks... I love his hustle & flow to the football - watch the thud when he hits Olsen on the TE screen (helmet right on the ball, nearly forces fumble) pic.twitter.com/GoNkXiheM1

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) December 20, 2017

Early 2ndQ.. Already 2nd time the Bears tried to wham Kenny Clark (with his get off, expect it every game)... but this is almost a freakyyyyy play. Most DTs can’t turn that corner..

That’s rookie Montravius Adams vs LG.. Eyes up!! pic.twitter.com/bbOCxq7eym

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) November 14, 2017

Stout edge by Nick Perry but YOU ARE NOT REACHING KENNY CLARK! Nope. pic.twitter.com/61EH5Hhkgf

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) November 14, 2017

More Kenny Clark.. Get off, leverage, stack, shed.. Yada Yada Yada pic.twitter.com/D3o9JH3ZYv

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) October 17, 2017

Rookie Kenny Clark.. Only 13 snaps vs PHI. Get off, lean, explosion & hustle all on display here.. I'll take this effort every snap on GL pic.twitter.com/naQIwW2mAV

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) November 30, 2016

Pass Rush

#Packers Kenny Clark showing some pass rushing promise.. QBs see that color flash up the middle, it undoubtedly hurries their process/motion pic.twitter.com/Rn5ezALmFb

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) October 24, 2017

Kenny Clark simply batting away the hands of Sirles [75] and getting pressure on Keenum. Reggie Gilbert easily gets around Remmers [74]. Keenum can't step up and sails the throw. #Packers pic.twitter.com/Qp9JsFVGSY

— Dusty All 22 (@All22Talk) December 27, 2017

Awareness

Kenny Clark.. His play of the game yesterday. Feel/recognition of the screen, then patience when Zeke tries to breakdown in space.  pic.twitter.com/jy1dnLLBIZ

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) January 16, 2017

Secret Weapon

You show this to McCarthy yet?! @KCBoutThatLife - Kenny Clark, Red Zone threat!! pic.twitter.com/HfYtWO9EdG

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) January 27, 2018

Clark has the traits and tools to be a consistent Pro Bowl player and with even a little bit more growth can truly grow into that All-Pro caliber defensive tackle. Few defensive linemen these days can have the impact on the game at defensive tackle as both a run stuffer and a pass rusher. Today you usually see the smaller, more agile defensive tackles, or the big, 320+ pound run stuffers. Clark is close to mastering both phases of the game at such a young age. It’s incredible to think that he’s gone up against the likes of Josh Sitton, TJ Lang, Joe Berger, and Kyle Long, these veteran NFC North interior linemen, and come out so successful. It’s almost unfathomable to imagine that when he’s at age 28 and still in his prime, he’ll be an eight year veteran.

So to answer the original question, Clark is an ascending player, a stud, a beast, and any other positive adjective that you want to place on him. The word I’ll use though… scary. Scary because he’s this good at 22 and scary because he’s still getting better.

Listen to last week’s show here: https://soundcloud.com/andy-herman-596646919/2-2-18-friday-film-room-mike-daniels

More on Kenny Clark from Zach: https://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/nt-kenny-clark-22-hopes-to-be-dominating-by-25-26-338

Read last week’s article on Mike Daniels: https://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/is-mike-daniels-overrated-401

My 2017 Grades: https://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/grading-the-pack-regular-season-totals-454

Listen to this Friday’s segment live at 9:50am with Marques, Bill, Rookie, and I here: www.thefan1075.com