Washington Redskins: 15 best draft day steals of all-time
By Ian Cummings
Gary Clark wasn’t a normal draft selection. After his productive collegiate career with the James Madison Dukes, Clark first joined the Jacksonville Bulls of the USFL, where he played for the 1984 season.
After one year with the Bulls, Clark was eligible for the USFL/CFL Supplemental Draft, and the Redskins selected him with their second-round pick in that event. It’s a decision that caused them to forfeit their second-round pick the next year. And it’s a decision they didn’t regret.
Clark quickly exploded onto the NFL scene; the 5-foot-9, 173-pound speed demon logged 926 yards and five touchdowns on 72 catches in his rookie season. The next year, he earned Pro Bowl honors with 1,265 yards and seven touchdowns on 74 catches, establishing himself as a pivotal member of the famed Posse, tearing up opposing defenses with Ricky Sanders and Art Monk.
Clark would play for the Redskins for six more seasons after 1986. In those seasons, he would crack the 1,000-yard mark four more times, earn Pro Bowl honors three times and earn his first and only All-Pro berth in 1987. Tack on two Super Bowl rings for good measure. The expectations for supplemental draft prospects normally aren’t high, but that didn’t matter for Clark.