#17 Morris Claiborne Season 2024
2011 Thorpe Award Recipient
2011 Consensus First-Team All-America (AFCA Coaches’, AP, FWAA, Sporting News, Walter Camp, ESPN.com, Rivals.com, CBSsports.com, FoxSportsNext.com, SI.com)
2011 Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year (Coaches)
2011 First-Team All-SEC (AP, Coaches)
2011 Nagurski Award Finalist
2011 Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week (vs. Miss. State)
2010 Second-Team All-SEC (AP, Coaches)
NFL DRAFT (No. 6, 1st Rd., Dallas Cowboys)
Along with Michael Brockers and Rueben Randle, one of three Tigers invited to New York’s Radio City Music Hall for the draft … Selected by the Dallas Cowboys as the sixth overall pick in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft … Cowboys traded first- and second-round picks to the St. Louis Rams to move up eight spots and select Claiborne … Along with selection of cornerback Patrick Peterson (No. 5 pick by Arizona Cardinals in 2011), marked the first time since the league’s merger that one school had the first overall defensive back taken in consecutive drafts … First of three LSU defensive backs selected in the draft along with safety Brandon Taylor in the third round and cornerback Ron Brooks in the fourth round.
CAREER
Capped his career as one of the top cornerbacks in school history … Named the recipient of the prestigious Jim Thorpe Award in 2011 as the nation’s top defensive back … Became the second straight LSU player to earn the award, following Patrick Peterson who claimed the honor in 2010 … Consensus All-America in 2011 after leading Tigers to 13-1 record, the SEC title and a spot in the national championship game … Played in 33 games, starting 26 times … Finished career with 95 tackles, 12 pass breakups and 11 interceptions … Led the nation in interception return yardage in 2011 with 173 … Tied for sixth in school history in career interceptions (11) and is second in interception return yards (274) … Opted to forgo his senior season and made himself eligible for the 2012 NFL Draft following his junior season.
JUNIOR SEASON (2011)
Started all 14 games for the Tigers … Registered 51 tackles, six pass breakups and six interceptions … Led the nation in interception return yardage with 173 … Ranked fifth in the SEC in kickoff returns with a 25.1 average … Scored two TDs in 2011 … Returned a kickoff 99 yards for a score against West Virginia and then returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game … Returned an interception 89 yards against Tennessee, which ranked as the third-longest in school history … The 89-yard return was the longest non-scoring return in school history … Named the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week following a 2-interception, 1-pass breakup game in win over Mississippi State … Had six tackles in season-opening win over Oregon in the Cowboys Classic in Arlington, Texas … Had six tackles, including a tackle for a 1-yard loss, in week 2 against Northwestern State … Picked off a pass against Arkansas … In first game against Alabama, returned an interception 33 yards.
SOPHOMORE SEASON (2010)
Enjoyed a breakout season at left cornerback and statistically ranked among the best in the SEC … Started 12 games and did not play in the ULM contest … A second-team All-SEC selection by the Associated Press and league’s coaches … Led the team and ranked fourth in the SEC with 11 passes defended … Picked off a team-high five passes, which ranked third in the SEC … Finished the year with 37 tackles and one tackle for loss … Was second on the squad in pass breakups with six … Became the first Tiger since LaRon Landry in 2006 to post back-to-back games with an interception when he picked off a pass against Florida and McNeese State … Recorded his first two career interceptions against Mississippi State with 57 return yards combined … Posted a career-high eight tackles, including one TFL against Ole Miss … Intercepted his fifth pass of the season at Arkansas and also tallied a PBU … Shut down his side of the field against McNeese State with one interception and a career-best three PBUs to go with one tackle … Tallied two solo tackles and picked off a pass and returned it 15 yards at Florida … The interception set up a go-ahead score for the Tigers in the third quarter … Also returned one kickoff 32 yards against the Gators … Recovered a fumble at Auburn … Made his first career start at cornerback against North Carolina and posted five tackles.
FRESHMAN SEASON (2009)
Played in seven games with no starts as a true freshman … Finished the year with seven tackles … Began fall camp at receiver for LSU and moved to cornerback just a week into fall drills … Ended up as LSU’s No. 2 right cornerback behind Patrick Peterson … Notched three tackles against Tulane and two tackles against Auburn.
HIGH SCHOOL
Outstanding athlete who had experience at quarterback, defensive back and wide receiver … Rated the No. 28 athlete by ESPNU … Named to the Louisiana Top 40 by SuperPrep Magazine … Named to the New Orleans Times-Picayune Blue-Chip list and the Baton Rouge Advocate’s Super Dozen … As a senior, accounted for over 2,000 all-purpose yards and 30 touchdowns as a quarterback … Passed for 1009 yards and 14 touchdowns while rushing for 1,023 yards and 16 touchdowns … Was a three-time All-District selection at receiver and defensive back … Also played basketball, baseball and ran track in high school … Named Shreveport-Bossier Male High School Athlete of the Year by the Shreveport Times as a sophomore … Won the 4A state title in the 100-meters with a 10.76 clocking in 2009 … Coached by Lent Barsey.
PERSONAL
Full name is Morris Lee Claiborne … Nickname is “Mo” … Born Feb. 7, 1990, in Shreveport … Mom is Opal Claiborne … Majoring in general studies.
CAREER HIGHS
Total tackles: 8 vs. Ole Miss, 2010
Interceptions: 2 vs. Mississippi State, 2010
PBUs: 3 vs. McNeese State, 2010
CLAIBORNE’S CAREER DEFENSIVE STATISTICS
| Year |
G-GS
|
UT
|
AT
|
TT
|
TFL
|
Sacks
|
PBU |
QBH |
INT |
FF |
FR
|
| 2009 |
7-0 |
3 |
4 |
7 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0-0 |
|
2010 |
12-12 |
19 |
18 |
37 |
1.0-4 |
0-0 |
6 |
1 |
5-101 |
0 |
1-0 |
|
2011 |
14-14 |
32 |
19 |
51 |
1.0-1 |
0-0 |
6 |
1 |
6-173 |
0 |
0-0 |
|
Totals |
33-26
|
54
|
41
|
95
|
2.0-5
|
0-0
|
12
|
2
|
11-274
|
0
|
1-0
|
CLAIBORNE’S CAREER RETURN STATISTICS
KICKOFF RETURNS
PUNT RETURNS
Year
No.
Yds.
Avg.
TD
LG
No.
Yds.
Avg.
TD
LG
2009
0
0
–
0
–
0
0
–
0
–
2010
2
57
28.5
0
32
0
0
–
0
–
2011
17
443
26.1
1
99
0
0
–
0
–
TOTALS
19
500
26.3
1
99
0
0
–
0
–