The starting safety duo of Isaiah Pola-Mao and Jeremy Chinn can stand for competition heading for a Las Vegas Raiders team with substantial coaching staff changes this offseason.
And as we round the corner towards April and the all-important 2026 NFL Draft at the tail end of that month, there’s intriguing prospects that can make the fight for starting snaps and spots a feisty one. That kind of competition will only make the Silver & Black better.
Earlier this week, our Matt Holder broke down how LSU safety A.J. Haulcy can be equal parts big hitter and takeaway artists for the Raiders. Here, we’ll take a look at how going back to the TCU well for a safety prospect would be a good idea for Raiders general manager John Spytek and defensive coordinator Rob Leonard.
Enter: Bud Clark.
By The NumbersBud Clark, Safety, TCU
- 2025: 11 games, 56 total tackles (31 solo), 1 sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, 4 interceptions (1 returned for touchdown), 7 pass deflections
- Career: (2020-25) 61 games, 214 total tackles (138 solo), 1 sack, 3.5 tackles for loss, 15 interceptions (2 returned for touchdowns), 21 pass deflections, 1 fumble recovery, 1 forced fumble
Measuring in at 6-foot-1 and 188 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine, the Horned Frog’s safety showcased good arm length at 31 1/2 inches alongside straight-line speed with a 4.41 second 40-yard dash time. Those traits — especially the weight — aren’t eye-popping but the production Clark put on the field certainly is impressive.
Built like a cornerback, this TCU safety brings versatile coverage skills that make him a takeaway artists in center field or a man-press type slot defender. It’s that kind flexibility that should appeal to Las Vegas as there’s a need for a thief over the top and in the slot. And the Raiders surely need a safety who has 15 collegiate interceptions (two of which were returned to the house for touchdowns).
Some may scoff at the production based on Clark being a sixth-year senior and 24 years of age, but it was during the 2022-25 seasons where the Louisiana native notched takeaways. He had a career-high five interceptions in 2022 and he had four picks this past season for TCU and it’s those two years where his pick 6s occurred. Regardless of years played or age, that’s the kind of production and potential that can help Leonard in his initial stint as a defensive play caller at the NFL level.
Clark’s athletic profile is indicative of his play style. The speed shows up quite well on game tape as the safety has not only the burst and explosiveness but the second gear to stay step-for-step with deep targets. Clark is a defender who plays the ball in flight like a wide receiver. I know it’s maddening at times, but seeing defenders not turn and find the ball is a frequent occurrence in the Raiders secondary.
And Clark’s ballhawk is definitely needed, as are his quick diagnostic read and react skill set in coverage. Couple that with swiftness, Clark has the speed to keep up and make up any lost ground.
But like every prospect, there are downsides to Clark’s game. But none of them are areas that can’t be improved with continued coaching and NFL seasoning.
Clark’s supreme initiative means he wants to do everything on every single snap: Cover, take the ball away, tackle, you name it. This determination gives the safety the highlight-reel plays but also results in the occasional miscue. While the good outweighed the bad, making mistakes at the pro level can be exponentially more detrimental.
Clark’s ability to improve eye discipline will be integral as he’s been manipulated by play action and the eyes of the quarterback. Combine that with his aggressive nature — especially angles on both throws and tackling — and the eye violations can leave the talented safety out of position. Clark’s trust in his own ability to take away the ball can affect being in range of the play too as whiffing on it allows the receiving to haul it in and get yards after catch (YAC).
While Clark is a very willing tackler and isn’t one to shy away from contact, his 188-pound frame does bring forth durability concerns. This is in the sense of sustained contact at the pro level over the duration of a 17-game regular season (and potential playoff snaps). As of now, Clark isn’t a 200-pound plus safety and that lack of size can result in broken tackles and durability concerns because at 6-foot-1 and 188 pounds, he attacks downhill, squares up against runners, and finishes with wrap and drop technique. He’s a run and pass defender who can make an impact on all three downs (four if necessary) but sustaining that at the professional level is a different beast.
Clark did miss games due to injury during the 2021, 2022, and 2025 seasons.
That all noted, the Raiders do have a pair of big safeties in Pola Mao (6-foot-3 and 203 pounds) and Chinn (6-foot-3 and 220 pounds) and the strength and conditioning staff to get Clark NFL ready if he were to be drafted by the team.
Projected to be an early Day 3 selection (third- to fourth-round prospect), he’d be an ample prospect to add to Las Vegas secondary as an athletic, opportunistic, and smart free safety that can play high or drop in and man the slot. Clark would certainly give Pola-Mao a run for his money as the starting free safety.
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