Maurice Clarett
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Maurice Clarett (born October 29, 1983 in Youngstown, Ohio) is an American football player. He is well known for unsuccessfully challenging the NFL's rule that a player must be out of high school for three years to be eligible for the entry draft.
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Biography
College career
As Clarett was coming out of Warren Harding High School, many publications dubbed him the top high school football player in the country. Clarett received an offer from Ohio State early in the recruiting process and verbally committed to the Buckeyes before signing with the team in February 2002. Graduating early from high school, Clarett was able to earn the starting tailback spot for the Buckeyes after a strong spring practice.
Clarett starred at Ohio State for one season, rushing for 1,237 yards (a school record for freshmen) and scoring 18 touchdowns, which helped lead the Buckeyes to a 14-0 record and the 2002 national championship. He was the first freshman to be the leading rusher on a national championship team since Herschel Walker of the University of Georgia in 1980.
Clarett was suspended by Ohio State for the 2003 athletic year after being charged for filing a false police report claiming that more than $10,000 in clothing, CDs, cash and stereo equipment was stolen from a car he borrowed from a local dealership. He later pleaded guilty to a lesser criminal charge in that incident.
Attempts to turn professional
Clarett attempted to enter the NFL Draft, challenging the NFL's rule that one must wait 3 years after graduating from High School to declare for the draft. Federal Judge Shira Scheindlin initially ruled that the NFL could not bar Clarett from participating in the 2004 NFL Draft. This decision was later overturned by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and Clarett's higher appeal was refused by the Supreme Court.
Clarett has been represented by California attorney David Kenner. Clarett lived with Kenner and claims that Kenner helped him straighten out his life. Kenner is the longtime attorney of Death Row Records CEO and controversial hip-hop kingpin Marion "Suge" Knight.
In February 2005, he participated in the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. During a press conference, he uttered the phrase: "It's a humbling thing being humble." After running for a disappointing 4.72 and 4.82 seconds in the 40-yard dash, he refused to participate further, and was referred to as "Slow-Mo" by the sports media. Ohio State declined to allow him to take part in a private work-out for pro scouts in Columbus because it wanted to avoid a "circus" situation.
Clarett was drafted on the first day of the 2005 NFL Draft with the 101st pick by the Denver Broncos in a widely unexpected move. Many experts felt that he would fall to the 6th or 7th round if he was drafted at all. Despite the risk that the Broncos took on him, he failed to impress in training camp. He showed up at 248 pounds (at least 20 pounds overweight), was slow to return from an injury, had run-ins with coaches and was even found drinking alcohol in the team's weight room. He was placed on waivers on August 28, 2005. [1]
After clearing waivers, Clarett's future became uncertain. The Miami Herald reported in September that Clarett is already $1 million in debt from legal fees for his fight with the NFL and other costs. They reported that Clarett turned down a traditional signing bonus of $413,000 in his original contract with Denver because Kenner wanted incentives that would pay Clarett if he became a star.
When contacted by The Herald, Kenner said: "I'm not at liberty to discuss any of those matters. But thank you for the call." Kenner then hung up.
A source close to Clarett is reported to have stated: "It's ridiculous how badly this thing is screwed up. In the minds of the people around Maurice, he was going to walk in and be a superstar. They kept filling his head with that idea, and he thought he was already the man before he did anything."
According to the Wheeling News-Register, Clarett is in talks to play for the Steubenville Stampede. The Stampede are in the North Division of the American Indoor Football League. The AIFL begins its second year of league play in February 2006. According to Jim Terry, Manager of the Stampede, "I have been in contact with [Clarett's] agent and he's expressed interest with us.... Clarett is hungry and has something to prove. He has a chip on his shoulder and wants to show he can still play." Since that report, however, no further developments have taken place.
Robbery allegations
On January 1, 2006, police announced that they were searching for Clarett in relation to two incidents of armed robbery that took place at 1:46am outside the Opium Lounge danceclub in Columbus, Ohio. Clarett is alleged to have robbed two people with a .45 caliber handgun and then escaped in a white SUV with two unidentified persons. Clarett reportedly made off with only a cell phone valued at $150 belonging to one of the victims. [2]
Said Jim Tressel, his former coach at Ohio State University, "I hope it's not true, but beyond that, I don't know much, but my reaction is, I was sad."
Josh Luchs, Clarett's agent, reported that Clarett was going to sign with the NFL on January 2, and was expected to be allocated to NFL Europe.
Clarett turned himself in to police shortly after 9 p.m., EST, on January 2, just as the Buckeyes were defeating Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona, the very bowl game in which Clarett last played college football and helped OSU win the 2002 National Championship. He faces two counts of aggravated robbery. [3]
He was later released on $50,000 bond. [4]
On February 10, Clarett was indicted by a Franklin County (Ohio) grand jury on two counts of aggravated robbery with gun specifications and five other counts. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 25 years in prison. Clarett will appear in court on February 24 to enter a plea and have bond set. His attorneys said he denies every allegation, saying Clarett "intends to fight this indictment with the same vigor and resolve he displayed in taking OSU to a national championship." [5]
On February 22, 2006 Maurice Clarett pleaded not guilty to aggravated-robbery charges. He will remain free on $20,000 bail until his trial begins. As of February 23, a trial date has not been set. [6]