Damone Clark will begin his NFL dream in Dallas.

The Cowboys selected the LSU linebacker with the No. 176 pick overall Saturday in the fifth round of this year's draft.

He became the Tigers' seventh player selected, marking the first time in program history that seven of more players have been taken in three consecutive drafts.

Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (Houston, No. 3) led their 2022 class Thursday, followed by guard Ed Ingram (Minnesota, No. 59), cornerback Cordale Flott (New York Giants, No. 81) and running back Tyrion Davis-Price (San Francisco, No. 93) on Friday.

And kicker Cade York (Cleveland, No. 124) and Neil Farrell Jr. (Las Vegas, No. 126) were the first LSU players chosen Saturday in the fourth round.

Clark began the draft process as a notably rising prospect after a breakout senior season and strong combine performance.

But news in March that he was undergoing a spinal fusion surgery to address a herniated disk and would likely miss his rookie season left his stock more in question.

The New Orleans-born and Baton Rouge-raised athlete played in 50 games in four years for the Tigers, including 20 starts, and developed into one of the program's most respected leaders on and off the field in the process.

Clark wore the No. 18 jersey, designated to high-character leaders, each of the past two seasons.

He finished his college career with 249 tackles, including 23.5 for loss and seven sacks, as well as an interception, fumble recovery and two forced fumbles.

The Southern Lab product played in 12 games as a freshman in 2018, predominantly on special teams, before breaking into the linebacking rotation on the Tigers' 2019 national championship run.

He participated in all 15 games, with three starts, as a sophomore and provided 50 tackles, including four for loss and 3.5 sacks.

Clark appeared in all 10 games as a junior in 2020, including five starts, and tied for the team lead with 63 tackles, including four for loss and a sack.

But his biggest leap came this past fall with a breakout senior campaign that garnered Second-Team All-SEC and multiple Second-Team All-America honors and consideration as a Dick Butkus Award finalist.

Clark led the conference and finished No. 2 in the nation with 135 tackles, including 15.5 for loss and 5.5 sacks. He also caught a game-sealing interception against Florida, returned a fumble 35 yards against Mississippi State and forced two others.