Maurice Clarett: What If?
by Michael Abromowitz
Senior Writer
10/9/08

The story of Maurice Clarett is well known to any college football fan.  The top high school prospect goes to Ohio State, leads them to a national title, but then gets in trouble, and eventually lands in prison.  It is a sad tale of one who experiences the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.  Watching Ohio State’s current running back star, Chris Wells, I see a player who is a few months of becoming a top ten NFL draft pick.  Wells is a wonderful talent who has something Clarett lacked: character.  But when comparing straight, raw football talent there is no comparison, Clarett was truly something special.  In the past 5 NFL drafts, Adrian Peterson would be the only college running back I would consider to be a better prospect.  Clarett was a dominant force and had some memorable moments.  His first game of his college career against Texas Tech, he ran for 175 yards, scoring 3 times on only 21 carries.  In his third career game against Washington State, he ran for 230 yards, scoring 2 times on 31 carries.  And in the BCS title game he made probably the most incredible play; stripping the ball from Sean Taylor who had just intercepted Craig Krenzel.  He finished his freshman year by scoring the winning touchdown in double overtime of the that game, and then it went down hill from there.  

Clarett’s downfall can easily be attributed to three events:

1.    Suspended for entire 2003 for falsifying a police report.
2.    Sued the NFL to be eligible for the 2004 NFL Draft.
3.    Refusing to take a signing bonus with the Denver Broncos.

After an amazing freshman season, Clarett was already being hyped as a leading contender for the 2003 Heisman.  He was on top of the world, and people started boosting his ego with NFL talk, even though he was two seasons away from being eligible for the NFL draft.  But before the 2003 season ever begun, Clarett’s was over.  He was charged with filing a false report that $10,000 in clothing, CDs, cash and stereo equipment were stolen from a car and Ohio State suspended Clarett for the 2003 season.  With his inability to play and lesser desire to stay in college, Clarett sued the NFL to be allowed to enter the 2004 draft.  After originally winning, the ruling was overturned, and not only was he ineligible for the 2004 draft, but he had forfeited his college career by hiring a sports agent. 

With that, he had to wait until the 2005 draft.  Clarett wouldn’t be on a football field for two whole years.  His 2005 Combine was proof that he was out of shape, especially after an embarrassing 4.82 40.  Nevertheless, the Broncos drafted him in the third round, where it seemed certain he would make the team.  Wanting to prove his worth, Clarett signed a four year incentive-laden deal with no signing bonus.  The lack of signing bonus became Clarett’s downfall.  After not playing a preseason game, the Broncos released him, and not one NFL team picked him up on waivers.

After being out of the NFL, Clarett’s pathway to prison seemed inevitable.  On January 1, 2006, Clarett robbed two people with a .45 caliber handgun in Columbus, the same night OSU played Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl.  In September 2006, he was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, but could apply for early release after three and a half years.  Four years after his first carry at Ohio State, Maurice Clarett’s football career was officially over.  Once considered to be a possible two time Heisman trophy winner and a NFL Pro Bowler, Clarett became inmate #A529720 at the Toledo Correctional Institute. 

If Clarett never filed that false police report what could have happened?  He probably would never have been suspended and would have played all of the 2003 football season.  Playing football is the best therapy for a player such as Clarett who has the urge to do something stupid.  As long as he is playing football, he is too busy to get himself in trouble.  He has practices, football meetings, and most important mandatory classes and studying he must do.  Football kept Clarett out of trouble his freshman year, and without it his sophomore year, he was destined for trouble.

In his second season, Clarett would have easily racked up 1,500 yards and most importantly led Ohio State to another title game.  The Buckeyes finished the regular season 10-2, losing to Wisconsin and Michigan.  In the Michigan game it was the Wolverines’ Chris Perry who was the star, but if Clarett had played that game, I envisioned a much different outcome and a much different hero.  Most importantly, Clarett would have never appealed the NFL to grant him eligibility for the 2004 NFL Draft.  Clarett’s decision to appeal to the NFL was not because he thought he was ready for the NFL, but more of an insurance policy.  He lost his status of an Ohio State scholar-athlete, and there was no promise that he would even retain it for the 2004 season.  By declaring for the draft, he would avoid that situation.  If Clarett would have played his sophomore year, I can guarantee that he would have never sued the NFL. 

Clarett would be entering his junior season as the clear cut Heisman winner.  The Buckeyes lost some key veterans the year before, but still had young stars in Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr., Santonio Holmes, and Anthony Gonzalez.  Despite this young plethora of young stars, Coach Tressel focuses the game plan around Clarett.  In 2004, the team finished 8-4, but suffered 3 straight losses in a row early in the season.  Those losses were because the team was young, inexperience, and lacked a running game.  Justin Zwick received the bulk of the quarterback duties over Troy Smith, and Ted Ginn Jr. was used sporadically.  At the end of the season, the team began to click and finished the season with victories over Penn State and Michigan.  Clarett’s presence would have pay dividends, and the Buckeyes would have finished the regular season 9-2, and a third straight trip to a BCS game.  Instead of Michigan, Ohio State would have played in the 2005 Rose Bowl game against Vince Young and the Texas Longhorns and the outcome would have been different for the Longhorns.  With the Buckeyes down 22-27 and 5 minutes left in the game and the ball at OSU’s 20 yard line, Clarett takes the game in his own hands and rushes the ball 8 times to get to Texas’ 15 yard line.  With 30 seconds, Clarett takes the sweep, bulldozes through 4 defenders, including All-American Derrick Johnson and dives into the end zone.  As he gets up, he does the infamous Heisman pose, mimicking the trophy that he won only weeks earlier.  Immediately after the game, he declares for the draft, with Coach Tressel’s approval of course. 

After he declares, Clarett signs with IMG, one of the premier sports agency.  He quickly secures a shoe contract with Reebok, and gets his own shoe:  the Mo-Cleet.  At the Combine he does very little as his agent urges him to wait until Pro Day.  At Ohio State’s Pro Day, all 32 NFL teams send scouts, however, only a few teams know they even have a chance at this can’t miss prospect.  Clarett impresses the scouts with his 5-11, 240 frame and runs a solid 4.5 40.  He secures his spot as a top 10 pick, and receives his invitation to be in the green room on draft day.     

On draft day, the 49ers have already announced they will take quarterback Alex Smith with the top pick.  The Miami Dolphins have the second pick, and really need a running back after the Ricky Williams disaster.  The Dolphins are deciding between Clarett and Auburn’s Ronnie Brown.  However, a last second phone call comes in from the Chicago Bears.  The Bears really want Clarett, especially since his old running back coach at OSU, Tim Spencer, is now with the Bears.  Spencer tells Lovie Smith he needs this guy, he is that good.  The Dolphins are satisfied with dropping two spots, as they can still get Brown and additional draft picks.  So Paul Tagliabue announces, “With the second pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears draft out of Ohio State, running back, Maurice Clarett.”  Bears fans go nuts, while Dolphins fans are shock to see their team pass on Clarett and trade down for a college backup.  With the fifth pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft Cedric Benson, while Cadillac Williams goes to the Arizona Cardinals with the eighth pick.

Before training camp, Clarett signs a 5 year, $35 million contract, with a $13 million signing bonus.  He buys his mother a house in Ohio and also decides to advertise his salary by getting 35 for his football number.  Clarett is the instant starter from day one, and finishes his rookie season with 1,453 yards, and 13 touchdowns.  He wins rookie of the year honors over Cedric Benson at Tampa.  The Bears lose in the divisional round of the playoffs, but with Clarett having a year under his belt, they become the hot pick to win next season’s Super Bowl.  And that is just what happens.  Clarett leads the Bears over the Colts in Super Bowl XLI, 32-29.  Clarett wins Super Bowl MVP honors with his 143 yards and 3 touchdowns performance.  He also earns his first Pro Bowl bid. 

In the offseason, he signs a 5 year contract extension with the Bears making him one of the top 5 highest paid running backs in the leagues.  At his press conference, he thanks Coach Tressel for keeping him out of trouble and focused on his work at Ohio State.  He also makes a pledge to donate $1 million to the Boys and Girls Club.  He vows that he wants to be a positive influence in the Chicago community, something he never had growing up.  When asked about a number change for his jersey, Clarett responded, “I don’t think the NFL will let me have a number that high!”  Everyone in the room laughs. 

The next season, during Clarett’s bye week, he goes back to Ohio Stadium.  Just as all Heisman winners at OSU have been honored in the past, his #13 is retired.  The crowd goes crazy as he waves his right hand, and holds little Maurice with his left.  When he gets back to his three story mansion in Hyde Park, he sits on his couch, and begins to smile.   He rubs his eyes in astonishment that all this is real.