John Clay was born on January 4, 1988, in Racine, Wisconsin. Clay’s parents, Sara and John Clay, remained in Racine throughout his childhood. He shone as a running back throughout his high school and college careers. At just over 6 feet, Clay weighs in at 220 pounds, according to MSN's Scout.com. Despite his size, Clay is known for his speed. His career hit a roadblock with his first National Football League (NFL) draft.
High School Career
Clay attended Washington Park High School in Racine, Wisconsin, and he was quite successful on the football field. Scout.com notes that Clay’s strengths during his high school days were his size, power and breakaway speed, while he needed to work on his elusiveness. Clay visited both the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Iowa before he graduated from high school in 2007.
College Career
During his time at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Clay majored in family, consumer and community education. Most of his focus, however, was on the football field. He distinguished himself by playing back-to-back seasons with 1,000 rushing yards and by scoring 32 touchdowns in his final two years as a Badger. Clay was a major force on the team, leading Wisconsin to the 2011 Rose Bowl. Despite injuries to his knee and both ankles, Clay had an astonishing 3,413 career rushing yards and 41 career rushing touchdowns.
NFL Draft
Just after the 2011 Rose Bowl, Clay decided that he would leave the University of Wisconsin early to pursue a career in the NFL. Unfortunately, at the NFL Scouting Combine, Clay posted a time of 4.87 seconds on the 40-yard dash. This slow time may have hampered his chances in the draft. Clay’s chances were also hurt by the lockout, which prevented the signing of undrafted free agents. At the time of publication, Clay has not yet been signed to an NFL team.
Honors and Awards
John Clay’s success on the football field is reflected in the number of honors and awards he has been nominated for and received. During his first season at Wisconsin, Clay was named Rookie of the Year. The following year, 2009, he was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and was placed on the Doak
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