French
DeutschClayton Echard
| No. 85 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Tight end |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | April 29, 1993 Eureka, Missouri |
| Height: | 6 ft 5[1] in (1.96 m) |
| Weight: | 261 lb (118 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Eureka (Eureka, Missouri) |
| College: | Missouri |
| Undrafted: | 2016 |
| Career history | |
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
Clayton Ray Echard (born April 29, 1993) is an American television personality best known for his appearances as a contestant on season 18 of The Bachelorette, and as the star of season 26 of The Bachelor.[2] He played college football for Missouri and spent training camp with the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL) in 2016.
Early life and education
[edit]Echard was born on April 29, 1993, in Eureka, Missouri, to parents Brian and Kelly.[3][4] He has two brothers, Nate and Patrick. He began playing football in the sixth grade. He was a wide receiver during his junior year at Eureka High School, weighing 170 pounds, before shifting to a defensive lineman and gaining 30 pounds for the role as a senior.[5] He graduated from high school in 2011. Though he did not receive any scholarship offers, Echard was selected as a walk-on member of the Missouri Tigers football team at the start of his first year at the University of Missouri.[6][7] At the University of Missouri, he studied health sciences and minored in Spanish and business, receiving a bachelor's degree in 2015.[3][8]
Career
[edit]College and professional football
[edit]Echard redshirted his freshman year and played one game during the 2012 season.[6][9] He was named to the Southeastern Conference academic honor roll for 2012.[10] At the start of the 2013 season, Echard was moved from defensive end to tight end.[11] He played 12 games and recorded one assisted tackle.[7]
He played in both offensive and defensive positions in all 14 games during the 2014 season, eventually settling as tight end, which he continued to play during the 2015 season.[6][9] He made two receptions for 14 yards with one start in 2015.[12]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 261 lb (118 kg) | 32+7⁄8 in (0.84 m) | 10+3⁄8 in (0.26 m) | 4.87 s | 1.71 s | 2.81 s | 4.64 s | 7.24 s | 30.0 in (0.76 m) | 9 ft 8 in (2.95 m) | 20 reps | |
| All values from Pro Day[13] | ||||||||||||
Echard signed with the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League as a tight end in July 2016,[14] but was cut from the team before the start of the regular season in September 2016.[15][16]
Echard worked as a sales representative for Stryker Corporation, a medical device company, in 2016.[9] He is currently a real estate agent in Scottsdale.[17]
The Bachelorette
[edit]Echard first appeared as a contestant on Michelle Young's season of The Bachelorette.[9] He was first announced as a potential contestant for the season, along with 34 other men, in July 2021.[18][19] He finished in eighth place.
The Bachelor
[edit]In September 2021, Variety and other sources reported that Echard was cast as the star of season 26 of The Bachelor.[20][9] On September 16, he spoke to fans of the franchise in his hometown, saying that he was "excited" and "a little nervous".[21] Echard was officially confirmed by ABC on November 30, 2021.[2] The season premiered on January 3, 2022.[22] In the final episode, Echard chose Susie Evans, but she rejected him. It was later revealed on the live After the Final Rose special that they had since gotten back together.[23]
Personal life
[edit]Echard was in a relationship with Susie Evans from December 2021 to September 2022.[24]
Pregnancy Hoax
[edit]In May 2023, a woman claimed to be pregnant with Clayton Echard's unborn twins. After 10 months of litigation, Judge Julie Mata granted Clayton's Petition for Non-Paternity and attorney fees.[25] Several noteworthy news outlets have covered the ruling, including People,[26] US Weekly[27] and 12 News Phoenix.[28]
References
[edit]- ^ "Clayton Echard - Football - University of Missouri Athletics". Missouri Tigers. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
- ^ a b Wagmeister, Elizabeth (November 30, 2021). "It's Official: ABC Names Clayton Echard Next Star of 'The Bachelor'". Variety. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
- ^ a b "Clayton Echard - Bachelor Biography". ABC. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
- ^ "Clayton Echard". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ Matter, Dave (October 9, 2015). "Tight ends play bigger roles". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved March 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Schnell, Nick (July 14, 2012). "No guarantees for those hoping to walk on to Missouri football team". Columbia Missourian. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ a b "Clayton Echard". University of Missouri Athletics. University of Missouri. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ Woods, Austin (September 16, 2021). "From Faurot Field to 'The Bachelor' mansion: MU grad to star on reality show". Columbia Missourian. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Blum, Eric (September 16, 2021). "The next 'Bachelor' is Clayton Echard: 5 things to know about the former Mizzou football player". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ Matter, Dave (January 27, 2013). "Missouri football players make SEC Honor Roll". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ^ Paylor, Terez A. (August 9, 2013). "MU seeking depth, versatility at tight end". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on September 10, 2013. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ^ "Bills sign running back Bush". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 2, 2016. Retrieved March 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Clayton Echard, Missouri, TE, 2016 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
- ^ Boyle, John (July 31, 2016). "Seahawks Sign TE Clayton Echard, Waive/Injured WR Tyler Slavin". Seahawks.com. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
- ^ Baldwin, Kristen (September 16, 2021). "5 very important facts about new Bachelor Clayton Echard". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ Condotta, Bob (September 3, 2016). "Cutdown day arrives for Seahawks: Seattle acquires two safeties in getting down to 53". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ Mead, Maggie (April 4, 2023). "Former Bachelor Clayton Echard Announces Surprising Career Change". Screen Rant. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
- ^ Jacobs, Meredith (July 27, 2021). "'The Bachelorette' Season 18: Meet Michelle Young's 35 Potential Suitors". TV Insider. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ^ Ryan, Monica (July 26, 2021). "Eureka native could be on next season of 'The Bachelorette'". KTVI. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (September 15, 2021). "'The Bachelor' Season 26: Is Clayton Echard ABC's New Star?". Variety. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
- ^ Palermo, Gregg; Barker, Zara (September 16, 2021). "Eureka abuzz as Clayton Echard reportedly tapped to be ABC's 'Bachelor'". KTVI. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
- ^ "The Bachelor: ABC Announces Premiere Date for Season 26, Hosted by Jesse Palmer". news.yahoo.com. November 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
- ^ "Where Clayton Echard and Susie Evans Stand After Roller-Coaster Finale". Us Weekly. March 16, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
- ^ Wynne, Kelly (September 23, 2022). "The Bachelor's Clayton Echard and Susie Evans Announce Split: 'Not an Easy Time for Either of Us'". People. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ Justice for Clayton (June 17, 2024). "Judge Mata Final Ruling" (PDF). www.justiceforclayton.com.
- ^ Wenger, Stephanie (June 18, 2024). "Clayton Echard's Paternity Suit: Former Bachelor Star Scores Legal Victory as Accuser 'Knowingly Presented a False Claim'". people.com.
- ^ Strout, Page (June 18, 2024). "Court Sides With Bachelor Clayton Echard In Paternity Trial With Woman Who Claimed to Be Pregnant". usmagazine.com.
- ^ Buono, Bianca (June 28, 2024). "'She may face criminal prosecution': Former 'Bachelor' star speaks after winning paternity suit in Maricopa County". 12 News Phoenix.