BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Bradford High School football player Chason Clark got the chance to interact with some of the best players in the country at his position and take instruction from coaches when he was invited to take part in the U.S. Army National High School Combine, which was held in conjunction with events surrounding the annual U.S. Army All-American Bowl in Frisco, Texas.
“It was such an honor to go there and have all those insane athletes around and a bunch of big-time college coaches there helping us to become better players,” Clark said.
Clark, a junior linebacker, was one of 600 underclassmen invited to take part in the event. That was an honor in itself, but by the end of the combine, which was held Dec. 15-18, he was selected to be a U.S. Army All-American for 2023, which means he’ll get to play in next year’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl, which features some of the best seniors in the country.
The combine is similar to what college players go through leading up to the NFL draft. Clark participated in the vertical jump, recording 34 inches, as well as the shuttle run.
He was most looking forward to the 40-yard dash. Clark said he’s been working hard on improving his speed.
His efforts have paid off.
“I ran my fastest time,” Clark said. “I think the last time I ran was like a 4.62. (At the combine), I ran a 4.51. I had a great time on that one.”
So great that when he heard what his time was, he said his response was, “Lord, that’s fast.”
Clark said he and his fellow linebackers had a surprise when they were told they would participate in a drill in which they spun around and caught balls.
“In the middle of a practice, they just threw us all in a line, and we started doing it,” Clark said. “That one I ended up doing really good on. They were like, ‘You must be a tight end, too.’”
As a matter of fact, Clark is. Besides the team-high 101 tackles he made on defense this year for Bradford, he was second in receiving yards with 216 and receiving touchdowns with three. His 36-yards-per-catch average led the Tornadoes.
Clark had the chance to interact with former coaches like Scott Frost, who led UCF to great heights before taking the job at the University of Nebraska (his alma mater). He also met David Baker, the former president and CEO of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Of course, he also met a lot of fellow high school players and made some friends along the way. One of those friends, who lives in Mississippi, recently contacted Clark about the fact he had been in contact with the University of Tennessee.
“We’ve talked about every two days ever since (the combine),” Clark said. “We plan on keeping in touch.”
Clark said the combine wasn’t about players competing against each other to prove who was better. Everyone there was good. The goal was to get better and have a good time, he said.
The combine was all about football, but for Clark, it was also a chance to represent Bradford County — something he embraces and uses to inspire himself.
“It feels like I’ve got something on my back. It feels like I’ve got something more than football on me,” Clark said. “It gives me a little bit more fuel for my fire.”
And why wouldn’t he relish representing home? He said he’s amazed when he goes onto social media and sees so many people sharing posts about his accomplishments or polls in which people can vote for him for being one of the state’s best defensive players.
“It’s such an honor,” Clark said, adding, “It’s so cool to see. I’ll get on Facebook, and I don’t even know I’m up for a vote. I’ll see all these people re-posting it, saying to go vote for me.
“It’s such a nice thing to see.”
Clark believes being selected for the combine will help more colleges become aware of him, but he also sees it as paying dividends for his teammates.
“I think it’ll really help Bradford also,” he said. “If people are coming to see me, they’ll also see my brothers.”
As of now, Clark has talked to coaches from such schools as Florida, UCF, USF, Notre Dame, Louisville, Wake Forest and Eastern Michigan. He’s still eagerly awaiting that first offer.
“It’s heavy,” he said of the anticipation. “At this moment, I’m talking to a lot of schools. A lot of schools are interested in me, telling me they’re planning on offering soon. It’s like, ‘So close. Come on. We’re almost there.’”
Clark is also looking forward to the start of the 2023 season. It’s been only a month since Bradford’s last game of 2022, but he’s not ready to take a break.
“That’s going to be a good day when we’re back on that field,” Clark said. “I love football.”
