Zack Martin, Mark Clayton top Indianapolis’ 10 best NFL stars
2. Mark Clayton, WR, Cathedral
Clayton was one of the best wide receivers of his era and certainly one of the most talented players to come out of Indianapolis. Clayton began his career as a standout at Cathedral High School and took his talents to Louisville in 1979. After a couple of slow years to begin his college career, Clayton showed plenty of promise as a junior and broke out as a senior, catching 53 passes for 1,112 yards and six touchdowns. Despite his strong final year in Louisville, Clayton was not taken until the eight round of the 1983 NFL Draft with pick No. 223. However, Miami is glad he endured the slide he did, as Clayton enjoyed an incredible 10-year stint with the Dolphins, becoming the favorite target of Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino. Clayton twice led the league in touchdown receptions in 1984 (18) and 1988 (14). He also had five 1,000-plus yard seasons with the Dolphins accompanied by five Pro Bowl appearances. Clayton played one final season in Green Bay, finishing his NFL career with 582 receptions for 8,974 yards and 84 touchdowns. His yardage total is in the top 70 in the league all-time, while his receiving touchdown total is the 20th-best all-time mark.
