UCLA's Key Clark looking forward to playing at Lambeau Field

HIGHLAND >> Many mock NFL drafts had UCLA defensive lineman Key Clark getting drafted in the second round.

But Clark, the Carter High product, had other ideas.

“I had a lot of confidence I was going in the first round,” Clark said. “A lot of stuff did say I was going in the second round, but that’s the biggest reason why mock drafts mean nothing.

“It’s all about how you compete on the field.”

Clark was right to have confidence, and he didn’t need to wait until Friday’s second round, as Clark went No. 27 overall on Thursday to the Green Bay Packers.

His agent, Jerome Stanley, said he expected Clark to go somewhere in the 25-40 pick range.

“Teams tend to go back to schools where they had success,” Stanley said. “And they (the Packers) had success with Datone Jones (from UCLA).”

On one hand, Stanley wasn’t surprised that Clark went to the Packers, but on the other hand ...

“They never talked to me, they never talked to Key,” Stanley said. “He had individual workouts for a half dozen (other) teams.”

But Stanley said the Packers tend to be more secretive.

“They’re like New England,” he said.

Clark was able to celebrate with family and friends at the Hampton I in Highland, and when he got the phone call prior to the pick being aounced on TV, the approximately 150 people gathered let out a huge cheer.

“I wanted to be with my friends and family,” Clark said. “I wanted the kids to see. I wanted everybody to see this, I wanted everybody to be inspired by it.

“You can come here, out of the Inland Empire, and do something.”

Alex Pierce, Clark’s coach at Carter, was one of the people in attendance.

“It’s so incredible and so hard to do this,” Pierce said before Clark was drafted. “But Key’s special. He works so hard.”

As soon as he got the call from the Packers, a Packers hat was tossed to Clark so he could wear it for the aouncement and his first interview as an NFL draftee. “It’s crazy. It hasn’t hit me yet,” Clark said. “It doesn’t get any better than playing in the Rose Bowl in one of the most historic (college) stadiums, and then getting drafted by Green Bay and playing at Lambeau (Field).”

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