#14 Michael Clayton Season 2024
2003 Third-Team All-America (Collegefootballnews.com)
2003 First-Team All-SEC (AP, Coaches, ESPN.com, Collegefootballnews.com)
2003 Biletnikoff Award semifinalist
2002 Second-Team All-SEC (AP, Coaches)
2001 Third-Team Freshman All-America (Sporting News)
2001 Freshman All-SEC (Knoxville News)
CAREER
Played in 40 games with 31 starts … Caught 182 passes for 2,582 yards and 21 TDs for the Tigers … Holds the LSU record for career TD receptions with 21 … Finished second in school history in receptions with 182, just one shy of tying Wendell Davis’ record of 183 … Ranked fourth in career receiving yards with 2,582 and seventh in career 100-yard games … Is the only player in LSU history to have at least 700 yards receiving in three straight seasons … Caught at least one pass in all 40 games of his career.
JUNIOR SEASON (2003)
One of the best all-around football players to ever play at LSU … Is listed as a wide receiver, but also plays on kickoff coverage as well as serving as LSU’s backup holder … Brings a certain toughness and attitude to the field … Separates himself from others by the intangibles he brings to the field … Is an excellent downfield blocker who prides himself in the big hit … Led the SEC in both receptions (78) and yards (1,079) and ranked second in the SEC with 10 TD receptions, which is the second-highest single-season total in school history … Became only the fourth 1,000-yard receiver in school history this season, joining Eric Martin (1,064 yards in 1983), Wendell Davis (1,244 yards in 1986)? and Josh Reed (1,127 yards in 2000 and 1,740 yards in 2001) as the only players in school history to reach the milestone … Played and started all 14 games for the Tigers … Had 4 100-yard receiving games in 2003 … Opened the 2003 season with three straight 100-yard games – 152 yards and 2 TD on 6 catches vs. Louisiana-Monroe, 109 yards and 1 TD on 6 catches vs. Arizona and 162 yards and 1 TD on 11 catches vs. Western Illinois … Set a career-high with 12 receptions for 130 yards and 1 TD in win over Alabama … Caught a TD pass in 6 straight games heading into the Sugar Bowl … Had 14 special teams tackles for the Tigers in 2003 … Rated as the No. 1 player in the SEC who can change a team’s game plan by the Sporting News prior to the 2003 season … Called by ESPN analyst Bill Curry and former collegiate head coach as “a great, great football player who can walk on the field and change the game. He’s that good.”
SOPHOMORE SEASON (2002)
Ranked among the SEC leaders with 57 catches for 749 yards and five TDs … Started all 13 games at wide receiver … Capped sophomore season by playing both ways against Texas in the Cotton Bowl … Started at wide receiver on offense vs. Texas and then played in the secondary in LSU’s sub-packages on defense … Against Texas, caught six passes for 88 yards on offense and had three tackles from the free safety position on defense … Played 94 plays against Texas with 19 coming on defense … LSU’s “go to” player on third down … Had 21 catches on third down that resulted in either a first down or a touchdown … Caught game-winning TD in the fourth quarter in 14-13 victory over Ole Miss … Caught season-best seven passes vs. Arkansas and Miami (Ohio) … Caught two TD passes in wins over Miami (Ohio) and Louisiana- Lafayette … Had six games of five receptions or more … Had season-high of 91 yards receiving in win over Miami (Ohio) … Ranked among LSU’s leaders on special teams tackles with 11.
FRESHMAN SEASON (2001)
Turned in one of the most productive seasons for a freshman receiver in LSU history … Caught 47 passes for 754 yards and six TD’s in the regular-season … Teamed with Josh Reed to rank as the nation’s No. 2 rated receiving duo in terms of combined yards per game at 207.8 … Ranked ninth in the SEC in receptions per game (3.92) … Caught at least one pass in all 13 games … Had three games of 100-yards or better receiving … Finished with seven total TD’s (six receiving, one rushing) … The seven TD’s were the most for an LSU true freshman since 1982 when Dalton Hilliard had 16 TD’s … The six receiving TD’s were the most by true freshman in LSU history … Caught eight passes for 120 yards in Sugar Bowl win over Illinois … Had four receptions for 54 yards vs. Tennessee in SEC title game … Caught three? passes for 23 yards vs. Auburn … Had four receptions for 83 yards, including a 60-yard TD, vs. Arkansas … Had six catches for 67 yards and one TD vs. Middle Tennessee … Caught seven passes for a career-best 126 yards vs. Alabama … Scored a pair of TD’s – one rushing, one receiving – vs. Ole Miss … Scored on a 29-yard reverse vs. the Rebels and then had a spectacular one-handed grab for a 39-yard TD … Scored game-winning TD with 13 seconds left in win over Kentucky … Finished with a season-best nine catches for 105 yards and 2 TD’s vs. Kentucky … Scored on a 67- yard reception vs. Tennessee .. Had seven tackles, all on special teams … Recovered an onside kick on the first play of the game against Auburn … Put a devastating lick on Auburn kick returner Roderick Hood early in the first quarter that set the tone in LSU’s 27-14 win.
HIGH SCHOOL
A consensus high school All-American … Named All-American by Parade, SuperPrep, USA Today and Fox Sports … A member of the ESPN and Rivals.com Top 100 high school players in the nation … Also selected to the Baton Rouge Advocate Super Dozen, the New Orleans Times-Picayune Top 16 Blue Chip list and the Shreveport Times Top 20 for the state of Louisiana … Rated as the nation’s No. 5 prospect by SuperPrep and was a member of the Dallas Morning News Top 100 for the nation … Rated by Max Emfinger as one of the nation’s top 125 players … First team 2A All-State and a member of the Academic All-State team … As a senior, rushed for 663 yards and 12 touchdowns and passed for another 338 yards and three touchdowns … Also named First Team 2A All-State as a defensive back as a senior as he recorded 78 tackles and five interceptions … As a junior, caught 23 passes for 500 yards and 13 touchdowns in just half a season at wide receiver … First team 2A All-State in basketball as a junior after averaging 19.4 points a contest … Coached in high school by David Barham.
PERSONAL
Full name is Michael Rashard Clayton … Born on October 13, 1982 in Baton Rouge … Parents are Milton and Marjorie Clayton … Has two brothers – Milton and Marcus, and one sister – Marcie … Majoring in communications … List golf as his favorite sport other than football … Was highly-recruited in both football and basketball coming out of high school … Turned down basketball scholarship offers from a number of top 20 schools to play football at LSU.