Bachelor season 26 star, Clayton Echard, explained why he gave Teddi Wright his first impression rose on the first night of the season.

Clayton Echard, The Bachelor season 26 star, explained why he gave Teddi Wright his first impression rose. Teddi, a 25-year-old surgical unit nurse from Highland, California, caught Clayton's attention from the moment that she stepped out of the limousine. She told Clayton that she heard that he was a big teddy bear and that hopefully soon, she could be his "Teddi bear." They hugged, and as she walked away, Clayton said to himself, "I don't even have words for her. Teddi, you make me feel some type of way. Man, I'm gonna be way in over my head on this journey." It was clear that Teddi had swept him off of his feet.

During their one-on-one time at the cocktail party, Teddi explained to Clayton that, before he was announced as the Bachelor, she and her sister looked at the profiles of the men from Michelle Young's The Bachelorette season, and she chose him out of the group. She couldn't believe that out of all of the men, Clayton ended up as the star of the show. Clayton then admitted to Teddi that there was something about her that attracted him to her, and she said that she felt the same way. Even though earlier Teddi had privately said that she was not going to kiss him on the first night, they shared a long kiss, and Teddi joked that he should propose right then. They then continued to kiss. Clayton revealed to the cameras that he felt like he was on "cloud 10." Later, Clayton presented Teddi with the coveted first impression rose and told her that from the moment that she stepped out of the limo, he couldn't get his mind off of her for the entire night. He said that there was a clear connection when they talked, and she kissed him. He said privately, "Kissing Teddi, I feel complete . . . It just feels right. I don't know. I'm gonna be thinking about that kiss for a while."

In an interview with Glamour, Clayton explained why he gave Teddi the first impression rose. He spoke about the instant connection that he felt with her saying, "From the second she stepped out, I was really just blown away by her beauty. She came up and she was so sweet, and I loved the playfulness she exemplified. As she walked away, I just found myself looking at her, being like, I already want to go talk to her again. It was just a feeling."

As viewers watched Clayton interact with Teddi, they could see how he lit up whenever he was around her. Clayton shared that as he spent more time with Teddi throughout the night, his bond with her only strengthened, which was why he gave her the rose. Clayton explained, "As I got to speak with her later in the night, I felt like I was talking to somebody that I had known for much longer than just one night. For me, I'm like, if we're at that point and that's how it feels, that's a great first impression. That's why I gave her the rose." After Clayton was rejected by two women before the rose ceremony even began, he was surely relieved and excited to find Teddi, who eagerly accepted the first impression rose and seems to now be a frontrunner to win his heart.

The first impression rose is one of the most important roses of the season, as, in the past, it has been a great predictor of the winner of the show. In fact, 10 people who were given the first impression rose during their seasons have made it to the end, the most recent being Nayte Olukoya, who is now engaged to Michelle Young. If history repeats itself, Clayton and Teddi's connection might carry through until the end of the season, and all of his dreams would come true with his "Teddi bear."

Next: Bachelor: Clayton Echard Reacts To Claire Heilig Saying She Hated Him

The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.

Source: Glamour