The Seattle Seahawks used Day 2 of the draft to add to their secondary, taking safety Bud Clark in the second round and cornerback Julian Neal in the third.
Moreover, the hope is that the duo can help tighten things up on the back end and make life tougher for opposing passing attacks. The 2026 season is still a ways off, but rookie minicamp is already underway in Seattle, giving the team an early look at its new additions.
Seattle has made a name for itself as a secondary powerhouse, and Clark hopes to etch his name alongside greats like Richard Sherman. On May 1, the Seahawks safety spoke about meeting Sherman and trying to hold his fandom back for the former cornerback.
“Oh yeah, I walked up to [Sherman], but I try not to fanboy,” Clark told reporters. “I shook his hand. I was like, ‘I’m Bud Clark,’ and then I just kept kicking. I’m like, man, I looked up to him since I was a kid. That’s crazy. I was about to ask for a picture and all, but I’m like, ‘Nah, I can’t do it.’ You know, I’m a Seahawk now. I can’t do it.”
Last season at TCU, Clark posted a 79.5 overall defensive grade from PFF. He earned a 75.7 coverage grade (189th) and stood out more against the run, with an 84.2 mark. Moreover, Clark picked off four passes and added four pass breakups in coverage.
Opposing QBs had an 82.3 passer rating when targeting him, completing 26 passes. Clark also chipped in 41 solo tackles, making his presence felt both in run support and in space.
Bud Clark Doesn’t Hold Back on Julian Neal
Moreover, Clark also shared his thoughts on Neal, whose size made an impression on the safety when they first met.
“Honestly, I feel like it’s going to be a great duo between me and Julian for sure,” Clark said to reporters. “[When I first met Neal] I was like, ‘Who is this big old corner, bro?’ I was trying to see because I’m a safety, and he’s bigger than me.
“I was like, ‘You’re sure big, dog.’ But getting to know him has been amazing. I feel like we’ve grown our friendship and our bond as teammates, so I think we’re going to be great together.”
Seahawks Land Strong Words About Jadarian Price
Before Seattle took Neal and Clark on Day 2, the Seahawks opted to go for a running back on Day 1, selecting former Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jadarian Price at No. 32 on April 23.
During an April 30 appearance on Seattle Sports, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman let Seahawks fans know what they are getting in Price.
“[Price is] a complete running back, and what I love about him is his ability to make explosive plays,” Freeman said. “His ability to get east and west and then vertical is as fast as anybody I’ve ever seen.
“He can truly outrun a defense horizontally and then get vertical at the drop of a dime, and then he brings so much special teams value. He’s had multiple kickoff returns for touchdowns, and at any moment, he’s a home run threat. That’s in multiple phases of the game.
“The other thing he’s doing is improving out of the backfield, catching the football. He’s becoming a guy you can depend on to throw the ball to out of the backfield. He’s getting better at pass protection. I still think he has a ceiling that’s higher than what he’s even hit yet, and his best is yet to come.”
Richard Sherman Gets Blunt Message From Seahawks’ Bud Clark