Claude Clayborne joined the North Carolina Central University football program before the start of the 2021 season, marking the 2025 campaign his fifth with the Eagles. He currently serves as linebackers coach.
The 2024 season saw Clayborne coach First Team All-MEAC selection Jaki Brevard and Second Team honoree Max U'Ren. Brevard led the team in tackles and tackles for loss (ranking sixth in the MEAC in both categories), while U'Ren was third on the Eagles in total stops.
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Clayborne helped the Eagles lead the MEAC in scoring defense in 2021, allowing just 21.7 points per game. NCCU was also second in the MEAC in passing defense that year, only giving up just over 209 yards per game through the air.
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In 2022, the Eagles defense ranked second in the MEAC in both scoring and total yardage en route to winning 10 games, the MEAC title and a berth to the Cricket Celebration Bowl.
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Three Eagles defenders earned First Team All-MEAC honors in 2023, including sophomore linebacker Jayden Flaker, who ranked second in the MEAC with an average of 7.1 tackles per game. His 85 total tackles were the most in the conference, as were his 54 solo stops.
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Clayborne began his coaching career at Los Angeles Pierce College from 2012-14, where he served as defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator. From there, he was linebackers coach and defensive coordinator for Los Angeles Valley College in 2014.
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Prior to getting into coaching, Clayborne co-founded the sports publication 6Magazine, which lasted from 2008 to 2013.
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A native of Spiro, Okla., Clayborne earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Oklahoma in 2005.
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