Huskies Trying to Mold Clay Into Immediate Starter

UW Roster Review: Freshman receiver from Texas had spring moments but dealt with injury issues.

Jordan Clay was impressive in spring ball when he was healthy. | Dave Sizer photo

In watching freshman wide receiver Jordan Clay, everyone at University of Washington spring football was left with little more than a movie trailer.

Just a glimpse, a small window, actually more of a tease.

Coming to a theater near you, Jordan Clay, this imposing 6-foot-3, 207-pound pass-catcher from Texas, capable of using his size to make leaping receptions in a single bound.

In the first of 15 practices, UW coaches proved eager to see what he could do and it didn't take long for them to put Clay with the No. 1 offense. Right away, he caught a pass from Demond Williams Jr. for 10 yards.

During the second practice, he got his hands on a pair of 10-yard throws from back-up quarterback Elijah Brown, one in which he went airborne to make an impressive grab.

For the third practice, Clay ran downfield to catch a 25-yard Williams pass in the middle of the field.

"I think Jordan Clay is going to be awesome," receivers coach Kevin Cummings said at that point. "I think he's going to be amazing. I think his size, his physicality, is all there."

Yet the next thing you knew, the pass-catcher from San Antonio was seated on a training table, often with an ice bag pressed to his right leg, which would become a familiar scene for the rest of spring ball.

Jordan Clay stretches during spring ball. | Dave Sizer photo

This is one in a series of articles -- going from 0 to 99 on the UW roster -- examining what each scholarship player and leading walk-on did in spring practice and what to expect from them going into fall camp.

One of the things the incoming freshmen and transfers learn right away is the Huskies' do a lot of hard running, which sometimes results in an epidemic of pulled hamstring muscles.

For that very reason, Clay seemingly was available for only half of the spring practices, left to recover the rest of the time.

"We've got to see what Jordan Clay looks like day in and day out," UW coach Jedd Fisch said.

Freshman Jordan Clay hauls in a pass during a spacing drill. | Dave Sizer photo

The young receiver's shining moment of the spring came in the sixth practice. With the Huskies' first-unit offense on the 1, Clay ran to the back of the end zone, with cornerback Dylan Robinson all over him, and went up and came down with a ball that Williams lobbed to him ever so delicately.

It was such an inspiring play, offensive teammates both on the field and on the sideline rushed to the end zone to celebrate Clay's heroics.

This group even included injured running back Jayden Limar, who wore a protective boot and used a crutch after having offseason surgery, but still had to be part of the fun-filled moment.

However, that would be Clay's spring highlight.

For the seventh practice, held at the Seahawks' VMAC facility, the first-year receiver was back on the training table, having aggravated whatever had sidelined him in the first place.

He would catch only one more pass the rest of the way, a 10-yarder in the Spring Game, again offering a sample of his skillset.

"Jordan had a big-time play on the sideline," Fisch said. "He probably could have had another one."

What he's done: Clay appears capable of doing just about anything, hence his periodic snaps with the first-team offense. He was considered such a talent that Baylor had him committed before the Huskies flipped him late.

Starter or not: When healthy, Clay looks like starting material, just like freshmen Dezmen Roebuck and Raiden Vines-Bright did the year before. It shouldn't be a surprise if he opens games this coming season.