Clayton Echard

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Clayton Echard
No. 85
Position:Tight end
Personal information
Born: (1993-04-29) April 29, 1993 (age 30)
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]

Pre-draft measurables
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]

Main article: The Bachelorette (American season 18)

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]

Main article: The Bachelor (American season 26)

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]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Clayton Echard - Football - University of Missouri Athletics". Missouri Tigers. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Wagmeister, Elizabeth (November 30, 2021). "It's Official: ABC Names Clayton Echard Next Star of 'The Bachelor'". Variety. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Clayton Echard - Bachelor Biography". ABC. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  4. ^ "Clayton Echard". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  5. ^ Matter, Dave (October 9, 2015). "Tight ends play bigger roles". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved March 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ a b "Clayton Echard". University of Missouri Athletics. University of Missouri. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ Matter, Dave (January 27, 2013). "Missouri football players make SEC Honor Roll". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ "Bills sign running back Bush". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 2, 2016. Retrieved March 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Clayton Echard, Missouri, TE, 2016 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  14. ^ Boyle, John (July 31, 2016). "Seahawks Sign TE Clayton Echard, Waive/Injured WR Tyler Slavin". Seahawks.com. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  15. ^ Baldwin, Kristen (September 16, 2021). "5 very important facts about new Bachelor Clayton Echard". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  16. ^ 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.
  17. ^ Mead, Maggie (April 4, 2023). "Former Bachelor Clayton Echard Announces Surprising Career Change". Screen Rant. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  18. ^ Jacobs, Meredith (July 27, 2021). "'The Bachelorette' Season 18: Meet Michelle Young's 35 Potential Suitors". TV Insider. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  19. ^ Ryan, Monica (July 26, 2021). "Eureka native could be on next season of 'The Bachelorette'". KTVI. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  20. ^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (September 15, 2021). "'The Bachelor' Season 26: Is Clayton Echard ABC's New Star?". Variety. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  21. ^ Palermo, Gregg; Barker, Zara (September 16, 2021). "Eureka abuzz as Clayton Echard reportedly tapped to be ABC's 'Bachelor'". KTVI. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  22. ^ "The Bachelor: ABC Announces Premiere Date for Season 26, Hosted by Jesse Palmer". news.yahoo.com. November 2021. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
  23. ^ "Where Clayton Echard and Susie Evans Stand After Roller-Coaster Finale". Us Weekly. 2022-03-16. Retrieved 2022-03-16.
  24. ^ 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.
Preceded by The Bachelor
Season 26 (2022) 		Succeeded by
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