Ryan Clark is a proud father, much like Deion Sanders. And like Coach Prime, or any parent for that matter, Clark can’t wait to watch his son get drafted. But before the highly anticipated event in Green Bay, Ryan had another special moment to celebrate — his son, Jordan Clark’s, birthday on April 22.
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To mark the occasion, Clark shared a heartfelt tribute on social media, showcasing just how meaningful this moment is for him. All the more emotional since Clark himself went undrafted in the 2002 NFL Draft.
Despite his hopes and dreams of playing in the NFL being dashed, Clark didn’t mind the setback at the time. Why? Because he was celebrating Jordan’s first birthday, which happened to fall on the first day of the draft.
Ryan reflected on this moment in his birthday post on Instagram, expressing pride in his son.
“Your first birthday party was the first day of the 2002 draft. I knew no one would be calling my phone, but I never even thought about it. I was just happy & proud to be your dad that day,” wrote Clark.
“It’s now your draft week, & throughout the years I’ve gotten happier & prouder to be your dad every single day. Happy Day, Jo!! I love you,” added the former safety.
It was a heartfelt message, indeed. And it caught the attention of many famous current and former athletes, including Mark Jackson, Marcus Spears, and Sanders. They all flooded the comments section, wishing Jordan a happy birthday and offering him their best wishes for the draft day.
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Just like his father, Jordan is projected to go undrafted. Perhaps there could be a team that has a different evaluation of him and ranks him higher. But according to most mock draft sites, he’s not expected to be selected in the top 257 picks.
While Jordan showcased his hard-hitting ability regularly for the Fighting Irish, again, much like his dad, he didn’t fully master the safety position. His timing on breaking up passes was occasionally off.
Additionally, his defensive numbers declined across the board after transferring from Arizona State to Notre Dame, despite playing in more games. That said, there were other qualities about Clark from back in the day that stood out during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, beyond just his play.
Leadership, versatility, and resilience were all key attributes of Clark. These are traits that some players naturally possess, while others don’t. Perhaps Jordan has some of these qualities as well.
He’s already showcased an ability to be versatile. At ASU, Jordan was playing defensive back and corner. Now, he’s turned into a safety. That type of defensive positional versatility will be welcomed by some teams. Let’s see if Jordan can use it to carve out a spot on a roster.
