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Kenny Clark

Kenny Clark: 1st Rd. Pick of Packers

April 29, 2016 | Football

Defensive lineman Kenny Clark was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the 27th overall pick of the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft held on Thursday at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. 

Clark is the 31st Bruin to be chosen in the initial round of the draft and third in the last four years (2013 DE Datone Jones #26 Green Bay; 2014 LB Anthony Barr #9 Minnesota). It is also the seventh time in the last nine drafts in which a Bruin defensive lineman has been selected (2015 – Owamagbe Odighizuwa, Rd. 3-#74; 2014 – Cassius Marsh, Rd. 4-#108; 2013 – Datone Jones, Rd. 1-#26; 2011-David Carter, Rd. 6-#184; 2010-Brian Price, Rd. 2-#35; 2008 – Bruce Davis, Rd. 3-#88).

Clark finished his Bruin career having started the final 29 straight games. In 2015, he was a third-team AP All-America selection and a first-team All-Pac-12 pick by the coaches. Clark recorded career-bests in tackles (75), sacks (6.0, t-10th in P12) and tackles for loss (11.0, t-14th in P12). He ranked second on the team in all three categories. Clark also had the third highest pass breakup total on the squad with five.

The San Bernardino, Calif. native was a second-team all-conference selection in 2014 when he placed sixth on the team with 58 tackles. He registered at least four tackles in eight games that season. In 2013, he made 31 tackles on the year and was named the Most Valuable Lineman in the Sun Bowl.

The Cleveland Browns will be on the clock when coverage of the 81st NFL Draft continues on Friday with selections for rounds two and three beginning at 4 p.m. PT on both the NFL Network and ESPN/ESPN2. Saturday's draft coverage begins at 9 a.m. PT with selections for rounds four, five, six and seven.