Ranking 5 best UDFAs Chicago Bears signed after 2023 NFL draft
3. Chicago Bears signed safety Macon Clark from Tulane
Tulane took off in 2022 and had an amazing season. It led to some players increasing their draft stock, and one of those names is Macon Clark. Clark is a three-year starter, and a redshirt senior from Tulane. He made the most of his last season with the Green Wave.
Clark had his best season in 2022 and had career highs in snaps, pressures, run stops, and passes defended. Over the course of his career, he played 2,447 snaps with 1,086 in run defense and 1,266 in coverage.
Beyond that, he moved all over the Tulane defense. For his career, he spent 759 snaps in the box, 1,151 snaps in the slot, 474 snaps as a free safety, and then 62 snaps outside as a cornerback. He is a player who can wear a lot of hats.
Macon Clark is not the most athletic player, but at safety, things come down to being able to read and react.
Macon Clark is a FS prospect in the 2023 draft class. He scored a 6.48 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 345 out of 976 FS from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/NZfR8zJwRE #Bears pic.twitter.com/7FaIPECRAm
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 30, 2023
Beyond that, he does have experience on multiple special teams phases over the course of his career. This is what gives him a decent shot at making the roster. The Chicago Bears saw DeAndre Houston-Carson fill a nice role last year, and while Elijah Hicks is expected to step in and fill that role, they still need a depth safety.
The Chicago Bears obviously drafted Kendall Williamson, but Macon Clark will be hot on his tail competing with him every step of the way. One of the top UDFAs is not far behind a seventh-round pick, so this could shape up to be a real competition between the two.