Who is Clayton Echard? 5 things to know about rumored 'Bachelor' lead

The Bachelor is prepping to return with its new season with a handsome leading man. Rumors are rife that the star of the season 26 reality show will be Clayton Echard, who is said to be one of Michelle Young’s The Bachelorette Season 18.

Speculation has been making the rounds for some time, but recently, creator Mike Fleiss’ Twitter post has made fans believe that Echard is The Bachelor this time.

Reality TV blogger Steve, aka Stephen Carbone, predicted the same. When it comes to Bachelor Nation predictions, he is mostly accurate. Carbone has been posting multiple videos and images from Echard’s hometown Eureka, Missouri, where the 28-year-old is seen being introduced to the general public. One of the clips shows a banner with “Go find love Clayton!” written on it, indicating that Echard will be the new star of The Bachelor.

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Five things to know about the rumored lead in the upcoming season of 'The Bachelor'

1) Who is Clayton Echard?

Echard is an orthopedic sales rep who even looks dashing in scrubs. He has posted a few pictures in his professional gear on social media, which shows that Echard loves his job. According to his Instagram bio, he is also a freestyle rapper. Hopefully, fans get to witness his talents on The Bachelor or even on The Bachelorette.

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2) Echard describes himself as “a washed-up athlete”

The 28-year-old to-be celebrity has many talents. Before getting into his current profession, Echard used to be a football player. He played at Mizzou during college and was signed to the Seattle Seahawks in 2016. It looks like his football career didn’t work out, as he calls himself “a washed-up athlete” in his Instagram bio.

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3) He is close to his family

Clayton Echard has two brothers, and the trio seems to live with their parents in Eureka. Reports claim that a huge portion of The Bachelor will be shot at Echard’s home state. Only time will tell if his family will make a guest appearance.

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4) He loves to workout

Echard’s shirtless photos showing his chiseled body and several workout pictures on social media indicate that he loves to train and stay fit.

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5) Echard impressed producers

Producers of Bachelor Nation are reportedly in complete awe of Echard because this is the first time ABC has cast an unknown, or relatively less-known, lead.

This indicates that producers might want fans to build up Echard's profile ahead of becoming a competitor on The Bachelorette.