Tag: Michael Clayton

Remember Michael Clayton’s awesome rookie season?

A look back at one of the best rookie seasons from a wide receiver in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history

In the first round of the 2004 NFL draft, the Bucs spent the No. 15 overall pick on LSU wide receiver Michael Clayton, hoping to land their WR1 of the future to pair with veteran speedster Joey Galloway.

Clayton made an immediate impact for the Bucs, turning in one of the best rookie seasons for a wide receiver in franchise history.

The former Bayou Bengal led the Bucs in every major receiving category in 2004, hauling in 80 passes for 1,193 yards and seven touchdowns.

He never managed to maintain that production through the rest of his career in Tampa Bay, but Clayton’s rookie year was still impressive, as these highlight will remind you:

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Spartans offer 2026 3-star Florida QB Michael Clayton

MSU has extended a scholarship offer to a quarterback from Florida that has picked up interest from numerous big-time programs

Michigan State has extended a scholarship offer to a quarterback from Florida that has picked up interest from numerous big-time programs.

Three-star quarterback Michael Clayton of Sanford, Fla. announced on Monday that he’s received an offer from the Spartans. He plays for Seminole High and is a prospect in the 2026 class.

Clayton ranks as the No. 29 quarterback in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2026 class. He’s also listed as the No. 351 overall prospect in the class.

Michigan State is one of more than 20 programs to offer Clayton, according to 247Sports. Other power four programs to offer Clayton includes Arkansas, Auburn, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Louisville, Maryland, Miami (FL), NC State, Ole Miss, Pitt, Purdue, Syracuse, UCF and Virginia Tech.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on Twitter @RobertBondy5.

Offered by Colorado and Miami, Raedyn Bruens is all in – ‘I’m 100% committed to Rutgers’

Raedyn Bruens breaks down his Rutgers football commitment.

For Raedyn Bruens, his weekend commitment to Rutgers football was based on the feeling of home he felt on his official visit. It made for a natural selection for Bruens, who established himself as a top recruit out of Florida coming into his weekend trip to New Jersey.

Bruens held offers from Colorado, Miami, USF, Tulane and West Virginia at the time of his weekend commitment to Rutgers football. He is a three-star recruit who is coming off a season where he had 48 total tackles and eight tackles for a loss as well as two sacks and five quarterback hurries in eight games played.

A 6-foot-4, 241-pound edge from A. Crawford Mosley (Lynn Haven, Florida), Bruens is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 78 edge in the country.

“Rutgers felt like home they treated my whole family like it’s their own,” Bruens told Rutgers Wire.

“They showed us nothing but respect and showed they cared about not just me but my family as well.

“Once I got around the coaches and the players it kinda just felt like home and I knew it was the place I wanted to be.”

Just days before his trip to Rutgers, Bruens was offered by Miami.

He said he has no official visits planned and his recruitment is shut down.

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“I don’t have any other visits lined up,” Bruens said.

“I’m 100 percent committed to Rutgers.”

The official visit gave Bruens a chance to connect with the staff as well as the recruits on the trip. He spent a lot of time with [autotag]Renick Dorilas[/autotag] (a three-star defensive back who committed to Rutgers in late March).

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He also spent time with [autotag]Michael Clayton[/autotag], who Bruens described as “hilarious.”

“They are all great – everyone on the staff as well as players and their families are like family regardless if you are the best player or worst player,” Bruens said.

Clayton committed to Rutgers over the weekend while on his official visit.

Michael Clayton breaks down his Rutgers football decision – ‘I’m 100 percent committed’

Michael Clayton breaks down why he committed to Rutgers football.

Michael Clayton committed to Rutgers football on Saturday evening as the Big Ten program built a strong relationship with the Georgia athlete.

Offered by Rutgers in late May, Clayton quickly set up an official visit with the Scarlet Knights. And it was over the weekend while on this official visit that Clayton committed to Rutgers.

A 6-foot-1 and 170-pound wide receiver and a cornerback at Northside High School (Warner Robins, Georgia), Clayton has speed and impressive agility. Rutgers was his first Power Five offer, but there likely would have been more coming this summer and fall.

He is a three-star recruit and the No. 51 cornerback in the nation according to 247Sports.

The decision to commit to Rutgers on the official visit, he said, was based on his feelings while on the visit.

“Well, Rutgers really had all I was looking for and my whole experience was great,” Clayton told Rutgers Wire on Sunday night.

“It just felt like a great fit and after thinking and praying and talking with my parents, I didn’t see any reason not go ahead and make my decision.”

His other official visits to Central Michigan and Georgia State, he said, are canceled.

 

“I’m shutting everything down,” Clayton said.

“I’m 100 percent committed.”

Clayton had 35 total tackles and five passes defended in 10 games played as a junior.

The weekend showed Clayton the life at Rutgers while also allowing him to continue building his relationship with the program.

Asked about what stood out on the program, Clayton didn’t point to any single moment. Instead, he talked about the mentality of everyone within the Rutgers football framework.

“The unity of the whole program,” Clayton said.

“Everyone is unified and serious about playing their part to build the best team possible – whether it be players or staff.”

Georgia edge rusher Rutgers football lands three-star edge Chase Linton

Chase Linton commits to Rutgers football.

Another day, another defensive lineman has committed to Rutgers football. On Sunday, Chase Linton committed to the Scarlet Knights.

The junior committed to Rutgers on Sunday while on an official visit.

Linton is a three-star edge rusher from North Atlanta High School (Atlanta, Georgia). He is the No. 48 edge rusher in the nation and the No. 52 recruit in Georgia in the class of 2025 according to On3.

Last year in six games, he had 31 total tackles with two sacks. He also had nine total tackles for a loss as well as a fumble caused and a fumble recovery.

He held offers from Appalachian State, Bowling Green, Georgia State, UMass and Memphis.

His commitment was made official on Sunday when he posted it on social media.

It has been a big weekend for Rutgers with several big commitments. On Saturday, Rutgers landed its first commitment from defensive lineman [autotag]Miron Gurman[/autotag]. This was followed by athlete [autotag]Michael Clayton[/autotag], defensive end [autotag]Braelyn Bruens[/autotag] and defensive lineman [autotag]Braxton Kyle[/autotag].

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Kyle and Linton are both from Georgia.

 

Michael Clayton commits to Rutgers football

Michael Clayton has committed to Rutgers football.

A big recruiting day for Rutgers football continued with the commitment of Michael Clayton while on his official visit.

Clayton is expected to cancel his upcoming official visits to Georgia Southern and Central Michigan in June. He was offered by Rutgers in late May, marking his first Power Five offer.

At 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds, he plays as a wide receiver and a cornerback at Northside High School (Warner Robins, Georgia). He is an elite athlete, running a 4.47 time in the 40 and a 10.81 in the 100 meters.

During the 2024 season as a junior, Clayton had 35 total tackles and five passes defended in 10 games played.

Miron Gurman, who gave his verbal on Saturday afternoon, was the first player to commit to Rutgers on this official visit weekend.

 

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This weekend, Rutgers is hosting 21 players on official visits. Rutgers came into the weekend with eight committed players in the class of 2025.

Multiple players have already committed including three-star Raedyn Bruens, three-star defensive lineman Miron Gurman and Georgia defensive lineman Braxton Kyle.

Who is Michael Clayton? Get to know the latest cornerback offered by Rutgers

Rutgers football offered Michael Clayton last week.

Last week, Rutgers football offered Michael Clayton, becoming the first Power Four offer for the athlete from Georgia.

Clayton is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound athlete who plays as a wide receiver and a cornerback at Northside High School (Warner Robins, Georgia). The offer from Rutgers came in for the class of 2025 prospect on the defensive side of the ball.

Last season, Clayton had 35 total tackles and five passes defended in 10 games played.

The offer from Rutgers is in large part due to Clayton’s very impressive measurables. He runs a 4.47 time in the 40 with a 10.81 in the 100 meters. He has a vertical of 31 inches and a squat of 405 pounds.

Clayton said that head coach [autotag]Greg Schiano[/autotag] and cornerbacks coach [autotag]Mark Orphey[/autotag] were in on the call last week where he was offered by Rutgers.

“It was a great moment,” Clayton told Rutgers Wire.

“I was on the phone with the corners coach and the head coach they explained to me about their program and what they’re about and then they offered me.

“I feel like they have a great culture, from the information I’ve gathered it seems like they’re big on unity all with a common goal and working together to reach it. And I feel with the coaches they have, they’re also very focused on developing players as well.”

Clayton will be taking an official visit to Central Michigan on the weekend of June 15. On the next week, he will visit Georgia State.

 

The last weekend of May, he will be at Rutgers, making the Scarlet Knights the first program to host Clayton on an official visit.

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In terms of what he is looking for in a school and a program, Clayton laid out his priorities.

“Just a school with a program that can develop me as an athlete and teach valuable lessons to progress me in life,” Clayton said.

“And a team where I can have the greatest impact and become the best player I can be.”

Clayton is eyeing a commitment date in late July.

27 Days, 27 Picks: WR Michael Clayton

Our next player in the 27 Days, 27 Picks series had a very productive first year with the Bucs, but quickly fizzled after.

In 27 Days, 27 Picks, Bucs Wire will analyze the last 27 Tampa Bay Buccaneers first-round draft picks, one for each day leading up to the 2023 NFL draft. We’ll take a look at the player’s college stats, their pre-draft numbers (either via the NFL Combine or their Pro Day), their NFL stats, some player footage and analysis at the end on whether the pick itself was a good one.

Our next player in the series was a dynamic player out of LSU who initially showed some promise in his first year. He was never able to replicate that success, however, and his career in Tampa Bay ultimately fell far short of expectations.

Check out the draft rundown on WR [autotag]Michael Clayton[/autotag] below:

Where Shelton Sampson Jr. ranks among LSU five-star wide receiver signees since 2000

Where does Shelton Sampson Jr rank among the top WRs at LSU since 2000?

Brian Kelly made a big splash in the 2023 recruiting class when he landed five-star wide receiver Shelton Sampson Jr. from Baton Rouge on August 6th. Sampson measures six-foot-four and 181-pounds and ranks as the No. 4 wide receiver in the 2023 recruiting class.

All of this info begs the question, “Where does Sampson rank against every five-star wide receiver signee since 2000?” So, that is what we’re going to discover today. LSU has had ten other five-star receiver signees (excluding Sampson) since 2000.

Fun fact, only two of those receivers were not from Louisiana. (Xavier Carter, Terrance Toliver) That’s why it has been such a big deal for Brian Kelly to come in and ‘Recruit the Boot’ just check out this list of Louisiana-born talent to see why.