43 Facts About Maurice Clarett

Maurice Edward Clarett was born on October 29,1983 and is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League.

Maurice Clarett played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Maurice Clarett unsuccessfully challenged the NFL's draft eligibility rules that required a player to be three years removed from high school.

Later, Maurice Clarett founded a behavioral health agency in Youngstown, Ohio.

Maurice Clarett received an offer from Ohio State University and verbally committed to Ohio State over offers from Notre Dame, Fresno State, and the University of Miami.

Maurice Clarett formally committed to the Buckeyes in February 2002.

Later, Maurice Clarett received the USA Today Offensive High School Player of the Year and Parade All-American distinctions.

Maurice Clarett scored the winning touchdown against Miami with a five-yard run in the second overtime in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl.

Maurice Clarett made a key defensive play in that game, stealing the ball on the Miami 28 from Hurricanes' safety Sean Taylor, who was returning an interception from the end zone of a pass thrown by Craig Krenzel.

In July 2003, Maurice Clarett became the center of an academic scandal when a teaching assistant told the New York Times that Maurice Clarett had received preferential treatment from professors, claiming he had not attended any classes during his only year at Ohio State.

Maurice Clarett was suspended for the 2003 season on September 10,2003.

Maurice Clarett moved to Los Angeles after his dismissal from Ohio State, and, while living there, sued to be included in the 2004 NFL Draft.

Subsequently, Maurice Clarett worked with trainers in preparation for the 2005 NFL Combine, hoping to impress for the upcoming draft.

Maurice Clarett has battled depression and alcoholism since as early as 2002.

Federal Judge Shira Scheindlin initially ruled based on anti-trust grounds that the NFL could not bar Maurice Clarett from participating in the 2004 draft.

Maurice Clarett signed this deal against the advice of his former agents, Steve Feldman and Josh Luchs.

Maurice Clarett's motivation was to replace the proposed deal with a package that would pay him first-round money if he rushed for 1,000 yards in multiple seasons.

However, after further disappointments and incidents with his coaches and never playing a preseason game, Maurice Clarett was released on waivers on August 28,2005, only a month after signing a contract and before playing a down in the NFL.

In December 2005, Maurice Clarett was in talks to play for the Steubenville Stampede, a squad in the North Division of the American Indoor Football League.

Maurice Clarett has a chip on his shoulder and wants to show he can still play.

Josh Luchs, Maurice Clarett's agent, reported that Maurice Clarett was going to sign with the NFL on January 2,2006, and was expected to be allocated to NFL Europe.

Maurice Clarett caught 12 passes for 98 yards, and returned one kickoff for 13 yards.

On May 17,2013, it was announced that Maurice Clarett would make his rugby debut for the Columbus affiliate of Tiger Rugby at The Ohio Rugby Sevens Invitational on May 25,2013, in Mechanicsburg, Ohio.

Maurice Clarett reportedly made off with only a cell phone valued at $150 belonging to one of the victims.

On February 10,2006, Maurice Clarett was indicted by a Franklin County grand jury on two counts of aggravated robbery with gun specifications and five other counts.

On February 22,2006, Maurice Clarett pleaded not guilty to aggravated-robbery charges.

Maurice Clarett was released on $20,000 bail until his trial began.

The privately retained attorneys had filed a motion two days earlier saying they wanted to withdraw their counsel, claiming that Maurice Clarett was not paying their fees or cooperating in his defense.

At the hearing, Fais delayed the trial until September 18,2006, revoked the $1.1 million bond in the case and ordered Maurice Clarett to undergo a mental health evaluation.

The police requested that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives perform a trace on the firearms to determine if Maurice Clarett violated federal gun laws.

Maurice Clarett was arraigned on the latest charges on August 10,2006, in Franklin County Municipal Court in Columbus.

In setting the bond, Peeples agreed with prosecutors that Maurice Clarett was now a flight risk or could attempt to intimidate witnesses in his upcoming robbery trial.

Maurice Clarett remained lodged in the Franklin County Corrections Center as the $1.1 million bond for the robbery charge was revoked by trial judge David Fais.

Maurice Clarett was sentenced by Judge David Fais to seven and a half years in prison, with the possibility of applying for early release after three and a half years.

Maurice Clarett enrolled in a distance-learning program at Ohio University while serving his sentence at the Toledo Correctional Institution, working towards earning a bachelor's degree in Geriatrics and Gerontology.

Maurice Clarett was ordered to enter Maryhaven, a halfway house in Columbus, for up to six months.

In November 2012, Maurice Clarett was invited back to Ohio State to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the undefeated championship season of 2002.

Maurice Clarett has spoken at prisons, juvenile detention facilities and worked with youth football camps to share his story so others do not repeat it.

Maurice Clarett has reconnected with Ohio State by taking courses and working out with current football players.

In 2016, Maurice Clarett founded The Red Zone, a behavioral health agency in Youngstown, Ohio.

In 2021, Maurice Clarett worked as a consultant to collegiate athletic departments like the University of Connecticut helping mentor players and encourage them to focus on their mental wellbeing.

In recent years, Maurice Clarett has spoken in public forums several times about his experiences in the criminal justice system and the need for criminal justice reform.

Also during the 2018 Ohio gubernatorial election, Maurice Clarett participated in a campaign event and panel discussion with eventual winner and 70th Governor of Ohio Mike DeWine about ways to improve education, workforce training, and recovery from addiction.