On paper, the Dallas Cowboys have an incredibly deep safety room. While some fans would argue that Dallas should pivot to the younger options on the roster, Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson is a serviceable starting duo so long as Wilson isn't asked to drop into coverage.
A changing of the guard is not far away, however. Well, just before the team departed for summer break before training camp, an unexpected riser has asserted themselves into a crowded safety battle.
Enter Alijah Clark, a safety out of Syracuse whom Dallas signed after he didn't hear his name called during the 2025 NFL Draft. There is a lot of buzz following Clark after he got a decent amount of burn with the first-team defense in OTAs and minicamp.
Cowboys UDFA Alijah Clark has a strong case to make the 53-man roster
While Wilson and Hooker were both hobbled by injuries during workouts, Hooker only missed one day of practice and Wilson was back for minicamp. When Hooker went down in OTAs, it was Clark who earned first-team reps, which shows how fast he has climbed the depth chart.
It was a bit of a shock that Clark didn't get drafted. He has average size and weight for the safety position, but his wingspan ranked in the 79th percentile. The former Rutgers transfer also turned heads at the NFL Combine with a 4.50 40-yard dash, 33-inch vertical and 10-foot-2 broad jump.
Those numbers helped him accumulate an impressive 8.14 Relative Athletic Score, which ranked 226 out of more than 1,200 safeties that have tested since 1987.
Clark enjoyed a prolific final season with the Orange, tallying 61 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups and an interception. That culminated in him winning Holiday Bowl Defensive MVP honors when he logged six tackles and an INT.
The ball production leaves a little to be desired given Clark played 44 games in college, but he has excellent anticipation and as strong feel for closing on throwing lanes. He is a willing run defender and offers positional versatility as someone who can cover in the slot and contribute on special teams.
Clark is going to give Matt Eberflus and Co. something to think about in training camp. Fellow safeties Juanyeh Thomas (slot) and Israel Mukuamu (slot and outside CB) have played a lot of cornerback as the team searches for a replacement for Jourdan Lewis, who departed in free agency.
That could work in Clark's favor.
Markquese Bell is another name to watch in the roster race as he works his way back from a shoulder injury that ended his 2024 season after nine games. Bell has participated in individual drills, but has yet to take any snaps in team periods.
Regardless, fans should keep a close eye on Clark when Dallas departs for Oxnard in a month. With a $25,000 signing bonus and $234,000 in guaranteed salary, he was comfortably the team's highest-paid UDFA. The money alone drops a clue about his chances to make the roster.
