Image Source: Parade, Just Jared

Clayton Echard is the new star of "The Bachelor."

Clayton Echard, who was first seen as a contestant in season 18 of "The Bachelorette" and made it to the top eight suitors for Michelle Young but was unfortunately eliminated, has now been announced as the lead of season 26 of "The Bachelor" by ABC.

Variety reported the news of Clayton Echard as the new lead in September when the press leaked pictures of him filming. On his final date with Michelle Young, Clayton Echard said, "I have finally come to a place where I can just stop worrying about others, stop comparing myself to others, and just be me. I have realized that it's who I bring into my life that's going to bring that happiness and make me feel like I'm enough. I just want to find love so badly. And have a family. And start that chapter of my life. I want it more than anything else. And I'll do whatever it takes to get that. Whatever it takes. "

While breaking up with Clayton Echard on their one-on-one date, Michelle Young told Clayton, "You are enough," and their break-up is considered one of the most heartfelt moments of the show. While leaving the show, Clayton Echard told the camera, "I stayed closed off for so long because it takes the right person for me to feel comfortable opening up, and Michelle did that. She opened me back up, and now I feel like I want to go back into that shell to protect myself against being hurt. "

Clayton Echard’s official description reads, "This Midwestern man proves he is so much more than just a good-looking guy with a rock-hard body. He’s a throwback romantic who’s not afraid to put himself out there for love".  In the clip released by the network, the audience can hear Clayton saying "I’m just a Midwest guy from Missouri that just wants to find love. And I believe more than anything that my future wife is here. "

Clayton Echard graduated with a bachelor’s degree in health science and minors in business and Spanish from the University of Missouri. He is now pursuing his MBA and aims to start his own business one day. The hunk also had a brief stint in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks in 2016.

Talking to Michelle Young about one of her ex's starring as the lead in The Bachelor to find love and why she decided to break up with him, she shared with ET’s Lauren Zima, "Clayton is such a wonderful person. He grew so much, he opened up so much, but there's this point where you realize giving out this rose means that this person is meeting your family, and that was just something that I wasn't able to get to, and wasn't able to picture. In this situation, I had to send him home, and that was hard".

Michelle further added, "I think Clayton is just so incredible, so deserving of love, and wants to find his person. He's all in with opening up, he's all in with being vulnerable, so I think that he will get the most out of it. "

Michelle Young and Clayton Echard at 'The Bachelorette'. Image Source: Telegraph Star 

Former NFL quarterback and ESPN commentator, who also happened to star in season 5 of 'The Bachelor, Jesse Palmer is going to host the show where Clayton is going to find his future. The show will premiere on January 3rd, 2022. There were questions raised on why he was considered for the lead and an insider explained that ABC chose Clayton Echard because "they believed he was the best fit for the role. They wanted to switch things up and go with someone new, someone who hasn’t been in the spotlight yet", but former Bachelor Ben Higgins is not exactly on board with the decision. 

Ben shared, “We’ve seen rocket ship type of character development where one episode changes everything for us. One one-on-one makes us go, ‘This guy is great.’ And I think he has it in him. I don’t think he doesn’t, but he hasn’t had that chance to stand out yet. And so as a result, we don’t have the chance to the viewer to get behind them yet.”

Are you happy to see Clayton Echard as the lead of 'The Bachelor'?