Junior wide receiver Michael Clayton decided to end his LSU career on Jan. 11, announcing he will skip his senior season and enter the 2004 NFL draft.
Clayton, a Baton Rouge native who prepped at Christian Life Academy, said the opportunity to enter the NFL was the best choice for him to do and he made the decision after consulting his family.
“I feel like I have experienced the highest point of success that a collegiate athlete could be a part of, and that is winning a national championship,” Clayton said. “That will be a memory that will last me for the rest of my life. I think it is in my best interest and my family’s best interest to forego my senior year and enter myself into the 2004 draft.”
Clayton said he made the decision to turn pro several days after LSU won the national championship in New Orleans.
“It’s been a decision that’s been lingering for a couple of months now and it’s one that I had to constantly put off,” Clayton said. “It was a decision I really couldn’t make until my season was over.”
LSU coach Nick Saban said he encouraged Clayton to enter the draft after he talked with several NFL general managers, who gauged Clayton to be drafted at some point in the first round. Saban said he is disappointed not to have Clayton back for another year, but he supports Clayton’s decision and hopes LSU fans do the same.
“I think he’s making a good decision,” Saban said. “It’s a difficult decision for someone to make for a guy not to make for him and his family for what he’s accomplished and what his draft status is right now.”
In 2003, Clayton caught 78 passes for 1,079 yards and 10 touchdowns, becoming only the fourth 1,000-yard receiver in school history. In LSU’s 21-14 Sugar Bowl win over Oklahoma, Clayton grabbed four receptions for 38 yards. He also earned Third Team All-American and First Team All-SEC honors this year.
Saban said Clayton, a high-profile athlete in high school, epitomized the type of athlete on and off the field that he tried to recruit to LSU and Clayton’s leadership and competitiveness have helped build LSU into a successful program.
“Michael is certainly a favorite son of Louisiana being from Baton Rouge, and he came to this program when no one knew for sure what we were going to be able to accomplish or who we were,” Saban said. “I think for all that he has done for this program and helping us win the national championship and helping us have two SEC championships, the only thing we regret is that he won’t be able to come back and help us win a third SEC Championship in his career.”
Clayton, a mass communication major, said he has a year and a half left of school, but plans to continue pursuing a degree through Internet courses, if possible.
“[Graduating] is something my mom always wanted me to do,” he said.
Clayton said he will try to train for the NFL combine in Florida. Clayton played in 40 games in three seasons for the Tigers, making at least one reception in every career game. He finished with 182 career receptions, one shy of Wendell Davis’ record 183, 2,582 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Clayton is the fifth LSU player to leave school early for the draft in the last four years. Wide receiver Eddie Kennison (1995), offensive lineman Alan Faneca (1997), quarterback Josh Booty (2000), wide receiver Josh Reed (2001), linebacker Trev Faulk (2001) and running back LaBrandon Toefield (2002) are other notable players who left early.