School is important to Kei'Trel Clark. That was emphasized when he missed his NFL rookie minicamp to get his college diploma. It's a message he doesn't hesitate to pass along.

Clark has two little brothers and "numerous other 'little brothers' " in his hometown that look up to him. The cornerback also gets DM messages on Twitter looking for similar things. One was from four-star recruit Tony Louis-Nkuba, who recently committed to play at Arizona State and sent a question to Clark.

"He asked, 'How you feel about me playing three years of college ball and going to the league and not graduating and then going back?' " Clark said. "I said 'Absolutely not.' I said, 'Figure out a way you can get your degree in three years, because you can do it, or you need to stay all four years to get that degree.' Because can't nobody take that from you."

Clark added, "I've got to make sure I'm letting them know, 'Bro, this is what you have to do to be a successful man.' "

That is the kind of mental makeup that made Clark, who was one of the Cardinals' sixth-round draft picks, a target for the team and one of those players who has been seen as a late-round pick who could make an early impact.

"Every day I wake up my goal is to be my best self and represent the name on my back," Clark said.