As the NFL regular season comes to an end, Go Joe Bruin provides you a roundup of how the UCLA Football rookies fared this year.
Eight total UCLA Football players were drafted in the 2016 NFL Draft. Over the following months, these players battled hard for roster spots with their respective teams.
Now with the NFL’s regular season over, here’s a roundup of how the UCLA rookies fared in the League in this season.
Did any of these Bruins make an impact? Let us check it out…
Related Story: The 30 Greatest UCLA Football Players of All-Time
DT Kenny Clark – Green Bay Packers
DT Kenny Clark was drafted in the first round by the Green Bay Packers in a move few saw coming. Not because Clark didn’t have the talent, but because many expected Myles Jack to be the first Bruin to be taken off the board.
Clark played in all 16 games with the Packers, although he only started 2 games earlier in the season. He recorded a total 21 tackles, including 13 solo.
Since the Packers made the playoffs this year, Clark will see his first post-season action this Sunday when Green Bay will play the New York Giants (FOX at 1:40 PM PT).
OLB Myles Jack – Jacksonville Jaguars
Myles Jack’s selection was more controversial than the rookie probably had hoped for. Slated to go in the top 5, Jack made an announcement about his knee that made teams weary of picking the Bruin linebacker.
After going undrafted in the first round, Jack circulated a video on social media showing him dunking a basketball. The video was clearly intended to send the message to teams that he was in top shape. His move certainly worked for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who ended up selecting Jack early in the second round.
Jack played in all 16 games with the Jags, starting in 10 of them. He recorded 24 total tackles, including 18 solo, a 0.5 sack, and 2 passes defended. Given Jack’s athletic ability, his numbers, at first glance, don’t seem so impressive. However, this is probably due to the fact that even though the rookie had started 10 games this season, he wasn’t on the field all that much.
UCLA Football fans will have to wait until next season to see more of Jack as the rookie’s team did not make it to the playoffs this year.