Did Walter Clayton Jr. play football? Revisiting high school QB's career and transition to basketball

Walter Clayton Jr. has starred for Florida in March Madness, but he easily could be playing a different sport right now.

Clayton was a standout football player at Lake Wales High School in Lake Wales, Florida, handling both safety and wide receiver. At the end of his sophomore year, he was a four-star recruit with offers from major programs like Florida, Florida State, Georgia and Notre Dame.

Between his sophomore and junior years of high school, however, Clayton decided he wanted to pursue basketball over football at the college level. He's had a winding road as a hooper, as his senior season was altered by the COVID pandemic. Clayton was lightly recruited coming out of high school and had to establish himself at Iona in New York, more than 1,000 miles from his hometown.

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Lucky for Todd Golden and the Gators, Clayton transferred to Florida before his junior season and now finds himself on the college basketball's biggest stage. His athleticism and poise in the big moments can be attributed, at least in part, to his time on the gridiron.

Here's a look back at Walter Clayton Jr.'s high school football career.  

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Did Walter Clayton Jr. play football?

Clayton played football in his freshman and sophomore seasons at Lake Wales High School in Lake Wales, Florida and was one of the best athletes on his team, playing wide receiver, safety, kick returner and quarterback.

Clayton transferred to rival Bartow High School after his sophomore season to focus solely on basketball for his final two years of high school. He also considered IMG Academy but his mother encouraged him to stay close to home.

Walter Clayton Jr. high school football stats

Clayton played primarily at wide receiver and safety on the varsity football team at Lake Wales in his sophomore season. According to MaxPreps, he made 10 catches for 189 yards and two touchdowns on offense and 51 tackles and one interception on defense. 

Where is Walter Clayton Jr. from?

Clayton grew up in Lake Wales, Florida. He attended Lake Wales High School in his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to nearby Bartow High School for his junior and senior years.

Clayton won a state championship with the Yellow Jackets in basketball in 2020, averaging 15.4 points, 4.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds for the season. The COVID pandemic hit at the end of Clayton's junior season, preventing him from playing on the summer travel basketball circuit, but he still helped lead Bartow to another state title in 2021.

MORE: Inside Walter Clayton Jr.'s journey – from high school football to the Final Four

Walter Clayton Jr. college football recruiting offers

Clayton was a 4-star recruit in the class of 2021 and had offers from Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Tennessee, West Virginia, Nebraska, Cincinnati, and Southern Miss. Clayton went on an unofficial visit to Florida in 2019 with defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Jr., who ended up signing with the Gators and was selected by the Bears in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Clayton was a more coveted football recruit than a basketball recruit. In the latter sport, he was offered by only mid-major programs East Carolina, Jacksonville and Iona. He ultimately chose to play for the Gaels and head coach Rick Pitino.