Willie Clay ranks in the all-time elite tier for defensive backs — a career that places Clay in the top 10% of all players at the position. The Knox value model assigns Clay a career score of 74, reflecting sustained impact that most players at the position never approach.
Willie Clay
Top 6% all-time defensive backsIron Man
Combined Season Grid
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| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Defense | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | |||||
| 1992 | 21–22 | DET | 6 | — | 6 | 5 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1993 | 22–23 | DET | 16 | — | 32 | 31 | — | — | — | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 4 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1994 | 23–24 | DET | 16 | — | 72 | 55 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 10 | 3 | — | — | — |
| 1995 | 24–25 | DET | 16 | — | 67 | 50 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8 | 12 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1996 | 25–26 | NE | 16 | — | 91 | 72 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 12 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1997 | 26–27 | NE | 16 | — | 94 | 67 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6 | 11 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1998 | 27–28 | NE | 16 | — | 99 | 66 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 9 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1999 | 28–29 | NO | 15 | — | 35 | 24 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Career | — | 117 | — | 496 | 370 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 27 | 63 | 6 | — | 0 | 0 | |
Career Value · VORP
139 career value over replacement — #710 all-time of 4,649. 23.2/season above a replacement-level S.
Draft OutcomeSteal ↑
Pick #221 (Rd 8) · DET · 1992 · +55.2 vs expected KV-H
74actual
18.8 expected · Δ+55.2
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