Mike Macdonald Says Rookie Safety Bud Clark Is Rising Fast at Seahawks Camp
Mike Macdonald isn’t just fielding questions about a possible Super Bowl repeat as the Seattle Seahawks open their third season under him. He’s also watching a new piece of his defense take shape — and he likes what he’s seeing from rookie safety Bud Clark at training camp.
“Bud’s one of those rookies that we’re asking a lot of him right now, and I’m impressed with how he’s handling it,” Macdonald said according to Seahawks.com. “It’s not perfect, but how he goes about his business is what we’re looking for. He needs to trust that he is going to come out of the fog and take it from there.”
Macdonald also pointed to how quickly Clark is picking up the speed and communication demands of an NFL defense. “It’s important to start building a relationship with those guys and having a feel for the speed of the game with the ones and how we communicate and how we play, and he’s doing a good job,” he said, per the team’s own reporting.
A Second-Round Pick With Six Years of College Experience
Clark isn’t your typical rookie. Seattle took the 6-foot-1 safety out of TCU with the No. 64 overall pick in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and he arrives with six college seasons already under his belt. Over his final four years as a starter, he racked up 15 interceptions and 214 tackles for the Horned Frogs, production that made him a two-time All-Big 12 honoree.
That experience is already showing up on the practice field. Clark has moved from a backup role into first-team reps, both at traditional safety and in Seattle’s dime packages as a third safety. Earlier in camp, he even came up with a pick-six off quarterback Jalen Milroe on a tipped pass, a play that had teammates buzzing on the sideline.
Veteran safety Julian Love has taken notice of both the production and the personality. “He’s a country boy,” Love said. “He brings so much energy… He has swagger to him.”
Clark’s Rise Comes as Emmanwori Recovers
Clark’s growing role carries extra weight because the Seahawks are working through a notable absence in the secondary. Standout safety Nick Emmanwori opened training camp on the physically unable to perform list following ankle surgery. Macdonald explained the situation directly, saying it stems from “the ankle from the Super Bowl,” according to Seahawks.com, adding that Emmanwori had been able to train through the issue in the offseason program before the team opted to have it repaired for the long term.
The good news for Seattle: Emmanwori is expected back well before Week 1. That timeline gives Clark an even bigger runway to develop early in camp, working with the top defense alongside Love and cornerback Devon Witherspoon while Emmanwori ramps back up.
Clark’s TCU Production
| Category | Total (Final 4 Seasons) |
|---|---|
| Interceptions | 15 |
| Tackles | 214 |
| Pass Breakups | 35 |
| Defensive Touchdowns | 2 |
What It Means Going Forward
Seattle’s secondary looked different by the end of last season than it did at the start, and Macdonald has said publicly he expects that evolution to continue in 2026. The coach has made clear he wants his best players on the field regardless of draft status, which means Clark’s summer performance could directly shape how much he plays once the games count.
For now, the plan is straightforward: keep throwing information at Clark, keep seeing how he handles it, and let the results on the practice field make the roster decisions easier once real football starts. Seattle opens its regular season on September 9 against the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl LX rematch at Lumen Field.
