Maurice Clarett had everything going his way in 2002.
A five-star running back coming out of high school, Clarett was heavily recruited by top tier colleges in the country before committing to the Ohio State football program where he immediately made his presence felt.
Clarett rushed for over 1,200 yards in his freshman season to carry the Buckeyes all the way to the Fiesta Bowl against the Miami Hurricanes. He would emphatically leave his mark by scoring the game-winning touchdown as Ohio State capped off its dominating 14-0 campaign with a National Championship.
However, things were not looking so bright off the field.
Clarett’s stint with Ohio State was a tumultuous one, often involving disagreements with coaches and school officials. The most public of which was Clarett accusing OSU of not paying for a December 2002 trip when he went home to attend a friend’s funeral. These actions, among other on-field incidents, led to Clarett’s dismissal from campus.
The defiant Maurice Clarett would move to Los Angeles and in a surprise move, declared himself as an entrant for the 2004 NFL Draft, unsuccessfully challenging a long-standing ruling of players having to be three years removed from their high school class.
Maurice Clarett would get his opportunity the following year at the NFL Combine. His explosive running skills, however, witnessed a decrease in production, posting a disappointing average of 4.77 seconds in the 40-yard dash.
To the shock of many observers, Maurice Clarett was taken 101st overall by the Denver Broncos in 2005. After an unimpressive training camp that saw the overweight Clarett underperform, the Broncos still decided to give the embattled running back a chance at the NFL dream by signing him to a four-year contract.
Unfortunately, Clarett, much like in college, had his spat with coaches and management. The Broncos released Maurice Clarett from his contract on August 28, just after a month into his deal and the latter never playing a down in the preseason.
Clarett’s series of troubles dragged on the following year when he was involved in a Columbus robbery and was later sentenced to seven and a half years in prison. He was granted an early release in April 2010 as part of a plea bargain and sent to a halfway house thereafter.
It was his time in prison that Maurice Clarett lamented on his wrongdoings and promised to change.
“Understand my struggle so you can respect my hustle. I am never coming back here, believe that. Never, I am cool on this. It is first-class living from the day I get out. I WILL NEVER SETTLE FOR LESS, EVER AGAIN,” an entry read on the blog entitled The Mind of Maurice Clarett.
After regaining freedom, the one-time NFL prospect founded The Red Zone, an agency that provides social work in Youngstown and Columbus, Ohio. He has also authored One And Done: How My Life Started When My Football Career Ended that was released earlier this year.
It might have been a long and agonizing route, but Maurice Clarett has finally found his way for the better.
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