Patrick Crayton
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||||
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| Date of birth: | April 7, 1979 | ||||||||
| Place of birth: | DeSoto, Texas | ||||||||
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| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | DeSoto (TX) | ||||||||
| College: | Northwestern Oklahoma State | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2004 / Round: 7 / Pick: 216 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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Patrick Jamel Crayton (born April 7, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Northwestern Oklahoma State.
Contents
Early years
Crayton attended Northwestern Oklahoma State University where he was a quarterback during his senior year and a wide receiver in his previous three seasons.[1] A four-time all-conference selection, Crayton saw time as a punt returner, kickoff returner, quarterback and wide receiver at NWOSU. In 44 games during his Ranger career, Crayton averaged 19.0 yards-per-catch and scored 17 touchdowns at receiver, rushed for 17 touchdowns, returned 72 punts for a 20.8-yard average and ten touchdowns, returned two kickoffs for scores and passed for 21 touchdowns with eight interceptions. In four years, he amassed 5,688 all-purpose yards, including 3,718 yards in total offense and 46 touchdowns.
As both a sophomore and junior, Crayton earned All-America honorable mention and All-Central States Football League first team honors at receiver. As a sophomore he led the nation with 19 punt returns for 508 yards (26.7 avg.) and three touchdowns. As a senior, he earned Little All-America second team and CSFL Offensive Player of the Year honors starting at quarterback while also handling kickoff returns, punt returns and logging time at wide receiver. While leading the Rangers to the 2003 NAIA National Championship game his senior year, Crayton passed for 1,837 yards and a school-record 19 touchdowns. He also rushed for a school single-season record 1,476 yards with 13 touchdowns on 173 carries while adding 15 receptions for 331 yards and four scores. He became the first player in NAIA history to score a touchdown passing, receiving, rushing and on kickoff and punt returns in a single season.
In 2013, he was inducted into the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Sports Hall of Fame.[2]
Professional career
Dallas Cowboys
Crayton was drafted by Dallas in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He had unexpected success as a rookie during the 2004 season, following injuries to wide receivers higher up the depth chart. During the following offseason, he outperformed Quincy Morgan, leading to Morgan's release. In his first game of the 2005 season, Crayton continued his solid play with six receptions for 89 yards and one touchdown. However, he sustained a broken ankle during the middle of the 2005 season, and was unable to return to full form during his return later that year.
The 2006 season brought Crayton back to renewed prominence, especially when the Cowboys switched quarterbacks mid-season to Tony Romo. Crayton recorded his first 100-yard game against the Arizona Cardinals in 2006 when filling in for an injured Terry Glenn. Former Cowboys Head Coach Bill Parcells has said numerous times that Crayton has the best hands on the team. In the Wildcard playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks, Crayton had a diving touchdown in a losing effort.
During the 2007 season, Crayton filled in nicely at the #2 receiver spot while Terry Glenn was rehabbing from a knee injury. On December 27, 2007, Crayton was rewarded for his efforts with a four-year contract extension worth $14 million. In the Divisional Round, Dallas lost to the eventual Super Bowl XLII Champions, New York Giants. Crayton had a 697-yard season and developed a reputation around the league as a vocal player.[3]
In 2008, Crayton started seven-of-16 games played and was replaced by Roy Williams in the starting position after he was traded from the Detroit Lions in week 5. By the end of the season Patrick had caught 39 passes for 550 yards and four touchdowns - which tied for second on the team with Jason Witten. Patrick also finished with 15 punt returns for 143 yards while sharing that role with Adam "Pacman" Jones.
In 2009, he was yet again the number two receiver behind Roy Williams after the Cowboys cut Terrell Owens. He started 6 out of the 16 games he played this season and caught 37 passes for 622 yards (Averaging 16.8 yards per catch, a career high )including a career long 80 yard touchdown reception in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also caught 5 touchdowns which ranked third on the team behind Roy Williams (7) and Miles Austin (11). Crayton also scored his first punt return touchdown of his career in week 7 at Atlanta, which earned him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. He followed it up with his second touchdown return in a week later against the Seattle Seahawks. Crayton finished with 36 punt returns for 437 yards and 2 touchdowns (tied with DeSean Jackson for first in the league punt return touchdowns) with a long of 82 which are all career highs.
On September 3, 2010, Crayton was traded to the San Diego Chargers in exchange for a 2011 seventh round draft pick (#220-Shaun Chapas), after his agent requested his release following the team selection of Dez Bryant in the first round.[4]
San Diego Chargers
In his first season with the San Diego Chargers he was injured after 9 games, finishing with 28 catches for 514 yards and 1 touchdown. The next year he played in 14 games, recorded 23 receptions and was not re-signed.
New Orleans Saints
On August 12, 2013, the New Orleans Saints signed him as a free agent after being out of football for a year.[5] He was released on August 19.[6]
Personal life
Crayton married his wife Najiyyah on October 27, 2007.
References
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External links
- NFL player using deprecated currentteam parameter
- NFL player with pastcoaching parameter
- NFL player with pastexecutive parameter
- Infobox NFL player with debut/final parameters
- 1979 births
- Living people
- People from DeSoto, Texas
- American football wide receivers
- Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers football players
- Dallas Cowboys players
- San Diego Chargers players
- New Orleans Saints players
- Players of American football from Texas
- Sportspeople from the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
