Raiders Shrine Bowl Targets: Kei'Trel Clark
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As the Las Vegas Raiders get an up-close look at all the 2023 NFL Draft prospects they could potentially add to the team at the East-West Shrine Bowl, one player at a position of need has stood out among the others.
Louisville cornerback Kei’Trel Clark has had an excellent week of practice leading up to the 98th Shrine Bowl game, and his draft stock is skyrocketing. The Shrine Bowl allows players who don’t already have a very high draft projection to get a chance to showcase their talents in front of NFL coaches.
For the Raiders, the Shrine Bowl at Allegiant Stadium means they can check out prospects they might want to draft. This includes defensive backs such as Clark, who the Raiders could covet, as their secondary left a lot to be desired this past season.
Let’s look closely at Clark’s season with the Cardinals and his Shrine Bowl week, and evaluate his fit in the Silver and Black.
Clark transferred to Louisville after spending a season at Liberty. In three years with the Cardinals, he posted 127 total tackles, nine and a half tackles for losses, and five interceptions. Last season, Clark had 51 tackles, four for losses, and his one interception was a pick-six. His excellent play got him invited him to the Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas.
Standing 5-10 and weighing in at around 180 pounds, Clark is on the smaller side and doesn’t possess the prototypical NFL cornerback size. However, he makes up for what he lacks in size with his competitive nature.
Clark is a technically sound defender and a better tackler than expected for his size. He’s a smart player who can stick in a receiver’s hip pocket and play the ball, and his route recognition is also very good. He could stand to improve as a run defender and might want to put on more muscle at the NFL level. He had a solid week at Shrine Bowl practices, blowing up plays and intercepting passes throughout every practice.
The Raiders could have an advantage over other teams in the league by having their eyes on Clark, and they will get a feel for him in-game when the Shrine Bowl kicks off on Thursday, Feb. 2, at Allegiant Stadium.
The NFL Scouting Combine is Feb. 28-March 6, 2023, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. On March 7, 2023, before 4 p.m. EST, is the club's deadline to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
March 13-15 is the free agent negotiation period. During that time, starting at 12 p.m. EST on March 13 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m. EST on March 15, clubs are permitted to contact and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2022 Player Contracts at 4 p.m EST on March 15.
The 2023 NFL Year and Free Agency period begins at 4 p.m. EST on March 15. The Raiders are expected to be significant players in the free-agent market this season.
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