Before WKU: Clayton comes to WKU from Middle Tennessee, where he appeared in 19 games with 12 starts over two seasons. In his final season with the program in 2025, he appeared in seven games with two starts, totaling 168 snaps played on the season. He played in 12 games with 10 starts the season prior as a freshman, and his 594 snaps ranked third-most among linemen and fifth-most among offensive players on the team.
HS/Misc.: Clayton prepped at East Coweta High School in Georgia, where he lettered in football and lacrosse. As a senior, he was a team captain, as well as an All-Region and All-County selection. He earned Cobb County All-Region and All-County honors in 2022. He registered 73 pancakes as a senior, 67 as a junior and 60 as a sophomore. Clayton helped lead his team to the region championship in 2021 and advanced to the state playoffs in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
