David Claybrook is a freshman football player for the Wilkes University Football team. Playing the position of Wide Receiver, Claybrook has excelled this season with a breakout game against Misericorida University where he recorded six receptions for 103 yards and two touchdowns. Claybrook is a Criminology Major, and here are some other things you should know about no. 80.

Why did you choose Wilkes?
I choose Wilkes because I came down a couple times and I talked to the Head Coach Frank Sheptock and he really talked to me, saying how the team needs me and his words inspired me to come and be a game-changer for the program and try to turn the program around in the four years that I’m here and that’s what I’m here to do.

What are your goals?
I don’t really have goals but if I did I would say, go out there do what I’m supposed to do, make plays, catch the ball when my number is called and do whatever it takes to get the win for my team.

Any significance to your jersey number?
Naw, I wore 3 in high school, and I wore it for the past 6 years but I don’t mind the change (to 80).

Are you going to try to get your number retired here at Wilkes?
Hopefully, we’ll see how things go.

So you’re Wide Receiver, if you weren’t playing Wide Receiver what would you play?
I would probably play free safety because that was my defensive postion in high school.

Is there anyone you try to emulate in college or the NFL?
I would probably say Dez Bryant on the Cowboys because he’s a big receiver like me. He’s physical, he’s fast, quick, and that’s the way, what I model my game after.

Who do you think is the best in the NFL?
The best would definitely be Andre Johnson

Do you think his age is a factor at this point?
I mean yeah, of course age is still a factor. But he’s still doing what young receivers are doing, if not better.

If you weren’t playing football what would you play?
If I wasn’t playing football I’d be playing basketball that was my second sport coming in, its been my second sport all my life.

Has it always been the second fiddle or was there a time where it was ahead?
The beginning, I would say middle school was a lot of basketball. But then high school, eighth grade year going into high school I really changed and transitioned over to football and I really started to love football.

What was that transitional moment?
I’d say the high school, just being at the high school. The high school I go to is a real football high school, that’s all they’re know for, so, and the coaches were talking to me saying how they wanted me to play so I just tried it and ended up loving it.

What high school was that?
Piscataway High School in New Jersey

Is there any pregame ritual you have?
Just getting myself hyped, getting my team hyped. Listening to music, you know, words of wisdom to me and my teammates.

What are the words of wisdom that you’ve heard that just inspired you?
Oh man, I’ve heard a lot. Probably going back to high school with my head football coach and he would always tell us to “PLACCIT” P-L-A-C-C-I-T, it means Play like a chief, Compete, internalize, team. And that right there was just motivation enough to go out there and just ball out cause our defensive coach my sophomore year passed away from cancer and that was our whole team’s motivation throughout my high school career and that’s just what we played for. We played for him, we played for ourselves, we played for our families.

What were your accomplishments throughout high school?
I tied Malcolm Jenkins record for most either receiving yards or catches and Malcolm Jenkins is a player in the NFL so when I found that out it was really big to me. I’m in the same category as an NFL player right now.