How many touches will he need a game next year for the team to be successful on offense? I think the Texas game showed that Clayton could dominate a game similar to that of Josh Reed.
As many as possible. If LSU can get someone to actually get him the football. (Please !!) The problem is LSU has to find another WR that can spread the wealth. Clayton really shined his freshman year because of the Reed Show and people were doubling reed (To no avail I might add) But last year, he had two problems, he was the focus of that group and Randall (Or Mauck at first) had trouble simply complete any passes. Clayton I think shines on the deep ball and the slant pattens. He has size and speed. Not saying he is a Roy Williams, but he is the same type player, Strong, Big and fast. Guys like Green and Brazell are also burners but dont have that size and grit. I am excited about Claytons next two years (Yes I believe he stays at LSU for his senior season) with the Talent around him, assuming one of our QB's steps up. It could be another Assault from the Air like the Reed/Rohan show.
i think Clayton staying a full 4 years is a sure thing, unless he has a Junior year like Reed. I don't think he was much of a factor this year because teams were planning on shutting him down, leaving people like Henderson open.
It's been said Clayton will be a 1st round pick should he enter the NFL draft early next year, and one of the 1st 2 WR's chosen. One scout was quoted as saying he feels Clayton will be a better NFL player than Eric Moulds, and Moulds is arguably a top 5 NFL receiver right now. At the recruiting bash, LSU's PA announcer Dan Borne answered a question onstage who he thought the greatest Tigers he ever saw play were, and the athletes he singled out were Tommy Casanova, Johnny Robinson, Jerry Stovall and Michael Clayton.
The way Devery Henderson was showing up big time as a dominant receiver before he got hurt makes him the man to take the heat away from Clayton. If Henderson continues to improve LSU could have the best 1-2 combo of receivers in college football IF - Somebody can get the ball to them on a consistent basis Look for Matt Mauck to be the opening game starter but I sure hope that either Matt Flynn or Ja Marcus Russell turns out to be the rare freshman QB who can step up to the Big Leagues in a hurry like the way Rex Grossman did it his freshman year at Florida. Despite Mauck's early game struggles he showed fantastic growth as a QB in the Florida game. Can he pick up where he left off or was that a one time great game?
Did MC ever get the ball while he was in-stride last year. It seemed like he had to fight, dive, or leap for about every ball last year and seldom got to show his speed. Had he and Roy williams switched unis at the Cotton Bowl, he would have had monster numbers. BTW, I am no fan of Chris Simms.
right now they are 8 wr's that are better then clayton at this point. I would take clayton over almost any of them but by strickly numbers they are better and i wouldn't be surprised if at least half of them were drafted ahead of him if he went out next year. they are: 1. the 3 wr's from texas(williams,johnson, and i think his name is sloan) 2. pitt wr fitzgearld 3. ok state wr woods 4. wisc. wr evans 5. washingtons star freshman 6. usc star freshman wr they all had better years but i personally think clayton is better.
Clayton is a man among boys out there on the field. He loves the game. He will hit harder than anyuone. He is the best on special teams. He can catch, run and punish with the hit at the end of the run. No one I've seen is better. He is a team player. He will be great before it is over. That is in college and Pro.
<<< Clayton is a man among boys out there on the field. He loves the game. He will hit harder than anyuone. He is the best on special teams. He can catch, run and punish with the hit at the end of the run. No one I've seen is better. He is a team player. He will be great before it is over. That is in college and Pro. >>> Couldn't agree with you more, TigerFan. Clayton is a man among boys. He will be one of the first 2 or 3 receivers chosen whatever year he goes out. He has it ALL. He has no weaknesses as a player. He's so talented, he could probably play safety this year, then get drafted as a safety. If Clayton had Davey throwing to him this past season who knows what he would have done. As it is, Clayton had 2 QB's throwing to him that weren't very good much of the time (Mauck and Randall), as hard as they tried, and as much as they improved. Clayton will be a top 10 pick. He wasn't a top 5 HS player in the country for no reason. He will write his own ticket.
If LSU comes up with a quarterback who can deliver the ball MC will have a monster year. Roy Williams won' have Chrissy Simmes throwing to him at Texas and with Clayton's ability on special teams and even defense if he has to it wouldn't surprise me at all if he were the first receiver drafted
