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Height | 6'1" |
Weight | 185 |
Primary Position | Safety |
Rivals | NR |
24/7 | NR |
Scout | NR |
ESPN | NR |
If it seems like we were justing doing this, that's because we were. As the saying goes recruiting never stops, not even for a minute. For the class of 2015 the first commit comes not even two weeks after the 2014 class put pen to paper. Truth is that when signing day comes most coaching staff's have long since moved onto the next class in terms of scouting and evaluation. That Clements has committed at this early in the process signifies two things IMO. One is that he was in the first or second initial waves of offers for the class of 2015. The other thing is that if Tubs and Co. deemed him to be a take at this point in the process he had to be near the top of their board for safeties. That makes sense when you turn on his tape.
At this point, a year out from signing day, 18 months away from Clements even getting to campus there is no real point in speculating about what Malik will do when he gets to Cincinnati. But he has the look of the prototypical safety for the defense the Bearcats run. Clements has been a two way player for most of his high school career, but he doesn't look like a natural receiver. He does look very comfortable at safety.
Personally I like his range, I like how easily he can flip his hips in coverage, and perhaps most importantly I like how he tackles in space. Looking at his sophomore tape in addition to his junior tape tackling is an area where he made a big jump this past season. Clements may have flown under the radar to this point in the recruiting process, and the Bearcats were his only offer, but he is going to be someone that Tubs and Co. have to fight to keep.