Nick Clayton transformed his body for a bigger role with Wisconsin football
Nick Clayton added significant weight without sacrificing speed. Now the Wisconsin edge rusher is pushing for a much larger role in 2026.
Nick Clayton understands the opportunity sitting in front of him entering his second season with the Wisconsin football program.
He also understood what needed to change physically before he could take advantage of it.
Clayton arrived in Madison as a highly regarded pass-rush prospect from Gainesville (Fla.), whose speed and athleticism were obvious. That said, his body wasn’t ready for everything Wisconsin asks its outside linebackers to do in the Big Ten.
He appeared in 11 games as a true freshman, primarily on special teams, while logging just 15 defensive snaps. Clayton made two tackles, recording the first of his career against Ohio State before adding another against Minnesota, and also generated a pressure against Middle Tennessee State, according to PFF.
A year later, Clayton looks considerably different.
Outside linebackers coach Matt Mitchell, entering his fourth season on Luke Fickell’s staff, said Clayton arrived at Wisconsin barely weighing 200 pounds. Clayton played around 230 last season and is now up to 242, the result of an offseason diet that required roughly 6,000 calories per day.
How committed was he to adding the weight?
“I would wake up at 3 a.m. just to drink another protein shake just so that I can sit on my body while I’m sleeping, and I would wake up heavier,” Clayton told reporters after Wisconsin’s second practice of fall camp.
And no, he didn’t particularly enjoy it.
“It’s definitely not fun at all,” Clayton admitted. “But I got to do what I got to do to get on this field this year.”
