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In his solo season with the Utes, Kaelin Clay made punt and kick returns must-see TV on his way to All-America honors.

After getting drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, Clay hopes to make a similar impact in the NFL.

The 23-year-old Long Beach, Calif., native was selected in the sixth round at No. 184 overall, adding a new chapter to a circuitous journey in his football career. Clay will be called upon what he did best at Utah: be a difference-maker on special teams.

"I believe special teams is maybe the most important part because we can flip field positions," he said in a conference call after his selection Saturday afternoon. "What our coaches asked us to do at Utah was to get a first down. If you get a first down on a kick return or a punt return, that's 10 less yards that we have to go to get a touchdown."

The 5-foot-10, 195-pound Clay came to Utah by way of Cal and Mount San Antonio College, qualifying academically just in time for a splashy senior year. He tied a school record with three punt returns for a touchdown and a kickoff return for a touchdown. He was Utah's leading receiver with 523 yards and four touchdowns, taking on an extra level of responsibility after season-ending injuries to Dres Anderson and Tim Patrick.

Clay also achieved some infamy against Oregon when he dropped a sure touchdown reception a yard shy of the end zone, allowing a fumble to be returned for a score for the Ducks.

If he's still smarting from the play some consider the biggest gaffe of the 2014 season, he didn't show it. In fact, Clay called it his "favorite play" — though not because he enjoyed it.

"With that play, I've become a better person," he said. "I've learned to not take things for granted, because not every day is promised. Things are going to happen, adversity is going to happen, but it's how you get through it. How do you go through it? Do you let it bring you down or do you keep going forward and get through it? I feel like I've gotten through it."

The one-year Ute is the fourth player from the program drafted this year, following second-round selections Eric Rowe and Nate Orchard and third-round selection Jeremiah Poutasi. It was a slight surprise that Clay went instead of Anderson.

The Bucs are putting a lot of faith in newcomers this year: Clay's new teammates include No. 1 overall pick quarterback Jameis Winston from Florida State.

Clay is the first Utah receiver taken in the draft since David Reed in 2010. He's only the second Ute to be drafted by Tampa Bay, joining 2005 selection Paris Warren.

Tampa Bay general manager after Jason Licht said after the draft the Bucs sorely need Clay as a returner, and went so far as to call punt returner and kick returner "his job to lose."

"We were hoping to get him right about where we did, so it worked out for us," Licht said. "Another fast, explosive guy, (he's) got a great background in terms of his speed and his production."

kgoon@sltrib.com Twitter: @kylegoon