Ravens wide receiver Mark Clayton showed the fans watching practice at McDaniel College last Monday why Baltimore selected him with its first-round pick in the 2005 draft. On one play during a drill, Clayton broke outside on a deep pass from quarterback Steve McNair. The move caused cornerback Chris McAlister to get crossed up, allowing Clayton to turn inside and scamper for a long touchdown reception.
However, some fans must be wondering whether they will ever get to see more than just a flash out of Clayton, who has been plagued with hamstring injuries throughout his young professional career.
He missed much of last week of practice with an injured left hamstring ? the third time he has dealt with the injury in a little less than a year and a half.
Clayton returned to practice Monday, but he is still frustrated about the recurring injury. He said doctors told him the injuries are due to an “alignment” issuewith his back that causes an imbalance in the length of his legs, which in turn puts added stress on the muscles.
“No one who plays football wants to watch from the sideline,” Clayton said. “The more reps you get with your teammates, the more you get to know them and the better you are going to get.”
The Ravens? coaching staff knows that if it can keep Clayton healthy, the team has a dynamic one-two receiving combination with him and Derrick Mason. Clayton came on strong at the end of last season and finished with 44 catches for 471 yards and two touchdowns.
When asked about his concern for Clayton?s hamstring, Ravens head coach Brian Billick said, “Always. Guys have to get that rhythm, that routine. The dichotomy is that last year, he was an iron man. He was there all the time. And for a rookie, that?s weird. Hopefully, we can get back in that rhythm.”
Mason knows that a healthy Clayton will only make him a better receiver, as defenders will have to deal with an additional scoring threat.
“[It] takes some of the pressure off me to go out there and have to do it, even though you go out there and compete hard,” Mason said on Clayton?s development. “Knowing you have someone on your side makes the job a lot easier.”
THE CLAYTON FILE
Age: 24
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 195
College: Oklahoma
How acquired: First round, 2005 draft (22nd player taken overall)
Did you know? Clayton?s best two games as a professional came last December. The first came Dec. 11 at Denver when he had seven catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. He followed that two weeks later when he had five catches for 90 yards and a touchdown on Christmas against Minnesota … He left Oklahoma as the school?s career leader for receptions (221), receiving yards (3,241) and touchdown catches (31).
