Will Clarke NFL Draft 2014: Highlights, Scouting Report for Bengals DE

Will Clarke, DE, West Virginia (HT: 6’6⅛”; WT: 271 lbs.)

Cincinnati Bengals

Third Round: 88th Pick

Height	Weight	Arm	Hand
6061	271	34 5/8"	9 7/8"

40-yd dash	10-yd split	Vert	Broad	3-Cone	Bench
4.77	1.63	32"	9'4"	7.26	22

Positives

• Tremendous overall length. 
• Immense upper-body strength, can overwhelm blockers with powerful hands. 
• Generates strength from his lower half more than expected given his frame. 
• Plays with commendable leverage despite being a tall defensive lineman. 
• Terrific snap anticipation and first-step quickness. 
• Converts speed to power well and gets pass-blockers on their heels often. 
• Flashes a shoulder dip and rip through the outside shoulder of offensive tackles. 
• Effective in showings as an interior pass-rusher, consistently presses the pocket with a bull rush. 
• Uses length to gets hands up when he doesn’t get home as a rusher, prolific deflecting passes. 
• Disruptive when shooting inside gaps, unaffected by the hands of blockers when he gets a step. 
• Jolts run-blockers with his hands to reset the line of scrimmage on first contact. 
• Can create congestion at the line of scrimmage and engage two blockers well. 
• Saw many double-teams and chips, still quite disruptive.

Negatives

• Does too much guessing, play-recognition skills are subpar. 
• Heavy-footed mover, doesn’t have short-area quickness to keep blockers guessing. 
• Inconsistent to poor hand usage in general, often rushing with his hands at his sides. 
• Exposes his chest to blockers regularly, easy target for their hands. 
• Stiff in the knees and ankles, limits ability to turn the corner quickly as a rusher. 
• Doesn’t hit a second gear to accelerate past blockers and make the most of his quick first step. 
• Pass-rush moves get predictable or repetitive for stretches. 
• Struggles to extend his hands and keep run-blockers off his chest. 
• Doesn’t shed blocks quickly, too often hung up and can’t control gaps from a head-up alignment. 
• Struggles to recover when a run-blocker gets his head across and walls off. 
• Very hit or miss as a tackler, often lets sacks or tackles slip from his grasp by aiming too high and not breaking down. 
• Needs to improve his finishing of plays, often gets himself into position to make plays and doesn't finish.

Year	Team	Tackles	TFL	Sacks	FF	PD
2011	WVU	34	5	2	0	1
2012	WVU	26	6.5	1.5	0	4
2013	WVU	50	17	6	1	3

Personal Notes

• A 2-star prospect in recruiting class of 2009, unranked by Rivals. 
• 2013 second-team All-Big 12. 
• Three-time “Iron Mountaineer” honoree for weight room excellence. 
• Missed Texas Tech game with an undisclosed injury as a junior. 
• Hampered for majority of 2010 season with an ankle injury.

Ratings Chart

Graph made at nces.ed.gov.

Overall

Will Clarke was one of the few bright spots on a porous West Virginia defense in 2013.  His production doesn’t blow anyone away, but the attention he got has a lot to do with it.  Projecting him to the NFL is relatively cut and dry.  Clarke should be viewed as the type of end who can be developed into a rotational No. 3 edge-rusher who can platoon on the interior in a four-man front.  It’s all about development of hand usage and maximizing his length and natural power.

Draft Projection: Fourth Round