Patrick Crayton
| Dallas Cowboys | |||||||||
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| Career information | |||||||||
| College: | Northwestern Oklahoma State | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2004 / Round: 7 / Pick: 216 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2007 | |||||||||
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Patrick Crayton (born April 7, 1979 in DeSoto, Texas) is an American football wide receiver in the NFL currently with the Dallas Cowboys.
College Career
Patrick Crayton attended Northwestern Oklahoma State University where he was a quarterback during his senior year and a wide receiver in his previous 3 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 10 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 All-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.
Professional Career
Crayton was a 7th round pick by Dallas in the 2004 NFL Draft. Crayton 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 4-year contract extension worth $14 million. Crayton had a 697 yard season in 2007. Just after receiving the large contract, Crayton dropped two critical passes in the Divisional Playoff Game against the Giants, contributing in a big way to the Cowboys' 21-17 loss.
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