Pitt NFL draft bio: Joe Clermond

By Darrell Laurant  |   Wednesday, January 30, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

Pittsburgh Panthers
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Guys like Pitt defensive end -- or, maybe, linebacker -- Joe Clermond give pro scouts headaches.

A second-team All-Big East selection in 2006 and '07, Clermond is a definite "tweener" by the numbers.

At 6-foot-3 and between 250 and 260 pounds, he's a bit small to play defensive end (his college position) on the NFL level. That is, unless he had the raw speed of someone like the Indianapolis' Colts duo of Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney -- but he doesn't.

Clermond's 40 times have fluctuated wildly, according to one scouting service, ranging from 4.8 to over 5.0 -- offensive lineman speed at the upper end.

But football isn't all about numbers, despite what the cyberscouts would have us believe. And while Clermond may not be that fast over 40 yards, it's rare that a pass rusher has to go that far to chase down a quarterback -- hence, perhaps, the Tampa native's 10.5 sacks and 53 tackles this past season. As a junior, his 16 tackles for loss led the Big East.

Moreover, Clermond stood tall in arguably Pitt's biggest victory of the 21st century -- a 13-9 upset of arch-rival West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl that knocked the Mountaineers out of the BCS title game. The Panthers' defensive captain had eight tackles and forced a fumble in that game. And even more impressive, plodding Joe Clermond chased down WVU quarterback Pat White on a key play, the coyote sacking the roadrunner.

Given his in-between size, coaches at the Senior Bowl decided to try Clermond at rush linebacker -- and he practiced and played impressively. Now, if he could just find a Combine trainer who could whittle a couple of 10ths off his 40 time before the pro meat market commences in late February.

There was also a pot charge lodged against Clermond last summer, but it was ultimately dropped. Since then, he has kept his nose clean and his motor running.

On draft weekend, it's just a matter of whether a team can look at the numbers and pull the trigger on him anyway. Such a team may well be glad it did.
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