Nevelle

Clarke

Clarke (6'1/187), who made the decision to sit out UCF’s Gasparilla Bowl win over Marshall, started 11 of the Knights’ 12 regular season games. The redshirt senior accounted for 22 total tackles (1.0 for loss), two interceptions and 11 pass breakups in 2019, earning honorable mention all-conference honors. Clarke projects to be a Day 3 draft pick at this stage in the pre-draft process.

UCF is already without a star wide receiver (Gabriel Davis), and RB Adrian Killins may be sitting out this one as well. Clarke (6'1/187) may be the third addition to this list, with it being reported by Brian Murphy of the Orlando Sentinel that the redshirt senior was on the field during pregame with a team-issued Field Pass. A first team all-conference selection in 2018, Clarke appeared in 11 games and accounted for 22 total tackles (1.0 for loss), two interceptions and 11 pass breakups. Clarke was given a sixth-round grade by Pro Football Network draft analyst Tony Pauline during the summer.

Or rather, that it’ll be the strength of the defense again, as it was in 2018, as well. UCF returns their top four corners from last year, and the best of these is redshirt senior Nevelle Clarke, who was first-team All-ACC last year. Starting at the other spot will be an honorable mention for that award in Brandon Moore, and Trey Green and Aaron Robinson -- not necessarily in that order -- are both solid players. Add in a star safety in Richie Grant, and this should once again be a dominant secondary for the Knights.

Knights wide receiver Tristan Payton was also suspended for a half-season for a failed drug test, per UCF’s rules. The tests were administered prior to the Cure Bowl against Arkansas State, and both tested positive for marijuana. Clarke was supposed to be the team’s No. 1 CB this fall following the graduation of starting corners Shaquill Griffin and D.J. Killings.