Clarett Quits Combine

[TheKey]

After slow times, Clarett quits drills
By Len Pasquarelli, ESPN.com


INDIANAPOLIS -- A federal appeals court kept Maurice Clarett out of the 2004 NFL draft. This time around, the former Ohio State standout tailback could keep himself from being chosen in the 2005 lottery.




It was very slow going for Maurice Clarett on Saturday at the combine in Indianapolis.
Clarett, who was hoping to improve his stock with NFL scouts, squandered his latest shot at redemption on Saturday afternoon, posting a very sluggish performances in the 40-yard dash. According to the unofficial times, Clarett ran 4.79 seconds and 4.82 seconds in his two efforts.

How slow are those times? By comparison, five offensive line prospects, all weighing more than 300 pounds, were clocked faster than five seconds.

"It's a rough day," said Clarett, who has not played in a game since Ohio State claimed the 2003 national championship. "I prepared 20 times harder than a year ago. I worked to get ready for this day. To totally bust it ... well, it's frustrating."

While he still has time to prepare for a personal workout on March 8, there is now some sense that Clarett, who earlier this week seemed enthused about another chance to prove himself to talent evaluators, might very well go undrafted. Even with a good performance, he might have been only a later round selection, particularly given his long layoff.

Clarett took part in some of the early drills during the running back session at the RCA Dome. After running his 40s, he pulled on his sweatshirt and opted not to finish the rest of the drills. When he appeared in an interview with the NFL Network after the poor times, Clarett appeared to be distraught at his performance.

The scouts quickly surveyed by ESPN.com universally panned Clarett's workout. Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green said that the former Ohio State star has a tough road ahead of him.

"Well, it was obvious he didn't run the way he had hoped to, and he has to go back and try to get himself ready for his [private] workout next month," Green said. "I mean, we really don't know how fast he ran when he was playing football. But we know he didn't run fast after this prolonged period away from the game."

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Auburn star Ronnie Brown dazzled scouts with a workout that included unofficial 40-yard times of 4.32 and 4.40. Brown also caught the ball well and may have established himself as the top tailback prospect, ahead of former Auburn teammate Carnell "Cadillac" Williams and Cedric Benson of Texas.

[The30YardSlant]

http://www.nfl-fans.com/html/emoticons/hung.gif

[Nerm]

I would rather take a flyer on him in the 7th than take another return guy.

I would be surprised if he isn't drafted. Why not take a shot in the 7th. He would have more upside than other 7th rounders and the downside isn't that big since half of guys picked that late get cut anyways.

[Nors]

People get infatuated with potential sometimes

JJ busted with two players who dropped like rocks in 2002 draft.

Bryant and Ross - BARGAINS - STEALS!


Just say no to Clarett


NOOOOOOO

[Nerm]

People get infatuated with potential sometimes

JJ busted with two players who dropped like rocks in 2002 draft.

Bryant and Ross - BARGAINS - STEALS!


Just say no to Clarett


NOOOOOOO

You suggest we take players without potential?

I wouldnt want him in the first 5 rounds, but he has as good a chance of being a solid player as anyone else not taken in the first 150 picks.

[dbair1967]

You suggest we take players without potential?

I wouldnt want him in the first 5 rounds, but he has as good a chance of being a solid player as anyone else not taken in the first 150 picks.

no, he doesnt

he's a:

L O S E R

David

[irvin88]

steal of draft.

[GTaylor]

This dude may play in the CFL or Arenaball, not because the NFL doesn't want him but because he needs to get back in football shape and develop out of the spotlight.

[notherbob]

Maybe he just had an off-day. Sometimes when your physical biorhythms are down, you just can't run or play with authority. If his private workout in March shows markedly better times, he will probably still get drafted, but if his workout isn't really impressive, he's an instant 21 year old hasbeen of the neverwas variety.

How the mighty mouth has fallen. He just got a second lesson in humility.

[Champsheart]

I have said it before that Clarett is a loser.
This guy is the most talked about nobody I think I have ever seen.

It does not suprise me one bit he quit.
Way to show everyone what kind of heart you have.

I would not even sign him as an undrafted free-agent.

[MaineBoy]

clarett is and always will be a loser...even if he managed to play well he would then find a way to be an ahole and screw it up...this guy has NO character...

[davidyee]

This dude may play in the CFL or Arenaball, not because the NFL doesn't want him but because he needs to get back in football shape and develop out of the spotlight.

...I don't think Clarett would want anything to do with CFL ball. The field is very big and you have to be able to run up here. Lot's of small fast guys here on wide open turf.

[silverbear]

Redskins' Gibbs not happy: While he attempted to deflect talk surrounding a possible trade of wide receiver Laveranues Coles, Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said he was not too happy to see the Cowboys sign quarterback Drew Bledsoe.

"I'd say Dallas made a decision there, and most of us in the division are not looking forward to it," Gibbs said.

Gibbs said that??

How very interesting...

[wxcpo]

You guys calling Clarett a loser.....what do you really know about the guy? What you read on ESPN or hear on the radio, that's it. I don't pretend to know him any better than anyone else, but I don't judge a kid by 1 mistake either. Hopefully you all have lived perfect lives and never did anything wrong because only then do you have the right to judge someone else.

What did Clarett do so wrong that has allowed you guys to label him a loser? Oh he lied to the police about the contents of his car. Oh man you guys are so right, I see it now, he is pathetic and needs to be banned from the NFL for life. Lets keep the Cowboys open to druggies and accused rapists only, no lying to the cops allowed in Dallas. The guy is totally a loser for doing something so horrendous. :rolleyes:

Ohio State rode the kid for all they could, they got what they wanted from him, then they hung him out there on his own. I for one believe Clarett when he says Ohio State got him bogus jobs and gave him benefits. Most big time schools probably do that crap, it's just most aren't caught in the act. They sacrificed Clarett and made him look bad in order to destroy any credibility and make him look like the bad guy in everything.

I for one hope Clarett isn't drafted by the Cowboys, I hope he goes to a team who gives him a chance to start and he proves all the naysayers wrong and wins ROY. I am not saying he's going to be that good or even start in the NFL, but I do believe he can be a good player under the right circumstances and I for one am rooting for the guy.

[Tobal]

It's not just one mistake

[TRIPLETS]

You guys calling Clarett a loser.....what do you really know about the guy? What you read on ESPN or hear on the radio, that's it. I don't pretend to know him any better than anyone else, but I don't judge a kid by 1 mistake either. Hopefully you all have lived perfect lives and never did anything wrong because only then do you have the right to judge someone else.

What did Clarett do so wrong that has allowed you guys to label him a loser? Oh he lied to the police about the contents of his car. Oh man you guys are so right, I see it now, he is pathetic and needs to be banned from the NFL for life. Lets keep the Cowboys open to druggies and accused rapists only, no lying to the cops allowed in Dallas. The guy is totally a loser for doing something so horrendous. :rolleyes:

Ohio State rode the kid for all they could, they got what they wanted from him, then they hung him out there on his own. I for one believe Clarett when he says Ohio State got him bogus jobs and gave him benefits. Most big time schools probably do that crap, it's just most aren't caught in the act. They sacrificed Clarett and made him look bad in order to destroy any credibility and make him look like the bad guy in everything.

I for one hope Clarett isn't drafted by the Cowboys, I hope he goes to a team who gives him a chance to start and he proves all the naysayers wrong and wins ROY. I am not saying he's going to be that good or even start in the NFL, but I do believe he can be a good player under the right circumstances and I for one am rooting for the guy.couldnt have said it better.

[wxcpo]

It's not just one mistake

Please share with us then all the mistakes he has made.

[TRIPLETS]

steal of draft.reminds me of a henson type situation .sat out ,came back nobody really went crazy for him texans take him as a sixth next year they get a 3rd.i bet if you take him in the sixth this year we get a 2nd next year after he does a good job backing J.J.not that we want him we have other more pressing needs just an example...

[Tobal]

Please share with us then all the mistakes he has made.

Accepting illegal payments anf gifts

falsifying police reports

Insurance fraud

Get's kicked out of school (not for the police report)

Combine1
Shows up out of shape, blows off NFL GM's

Blames OSU for all his troubles, tries to get them in trouble

Combine2
Kisses GM's ***, but is out of shape

[Tobal]

When the Texans took Henson he hadn't given up baseball, that's why he was avaiable in the 6th round. It was a gamble that he would give up Baseball.

[wxcpo]

Accepting illegal payments anf gifts

falsifying police reports

Insurance fraud

Get's kicked out of school (not for the police report)

Combine1
Shows up out of shape, blows off NFL GM's

Blames OSU for all his troubles, tries to get them in trouble

Combine2
Kisses GM's ***, but is out of shape

Yes he lied to police, lots of teenagers and adults do this. He never actually filed an insurance claim, have to do that before it's considered insurance fraud.

He lied to NCAA investigators to help cover up improper benefits he and several other players received from Ohio State. When it was discovered he lied the university hung him out to dry (although they wanted him to lie) and made him look bad in an effort to save themselves. If you think for a second these big time college football programs aren't providing benefits to their star players you're lying to yourself. Hell I'm an Ohio State fan and I don't believe them about this crap.

At least he shows up at the combines. What about guys who refuse to do anything at the combines or simply do not show up?

So you know for a fact he is simply kissing butt right now and not really eating a big helping of humble pie? Maybe he has changed and has gained some maturity and wants to take responsibility for his past mistakes. Hope you never have kids who make mistakes and are labeled as losers for the rest of their lives because of it.

I'm not saying he hasn't made some mistakes in the past, but believ it or not people do change for the better sometimes.

[EndGame]

The name Lawrence Phillips keeps coming to mind.

[JackMagist]

So you know for a fact he is simply kissing butt right now and not really eating a big helping of humble pie? Maybe he has changed and has gained some maturity and wants to take responsibility for his past mistakes. Hope you never have kids who make mistakes and are labeled as losers for the rest of their lives because of it.He has been coached by a lawyer on what to say and how to respond just so he can get his payday (and that is all he is interested in). Maybe when he flops in football completely he can go into acting.

Just two months ago (or there about) he was still filing his appeal of the court decision against him even though it is now a moot point. What reason would he have for that except to turn around and sue the NFL if he wins the case on appeal? And I'm NOT buying that he is paying a lawyer out of his own pocket to try this case for the good of any future sophmores who might want to play in the NFL; he plans to get something out of it if he can.

[wxcpo]

The name Lawrence Phillips keeps coming to mind.

Clarett may surely end up as the next Phillips, I'm just not ready to say that without at least giving him a chance to show what he can do on an NFL field.

[Tobal]

Nothing points to him being violent, he's just immature. I never called him names. He's just blown some really good chances.

I won't cry if Dallas drafts him with a 5th pick, if they fill thier pressing needs first.

[ABQCOWBOY]

What do we know about Clarret?

This always cracks me up. What do those of you who fall all over themselves to defend this kid, know of him.

We know this. We know he quit on his team. We know he quit on school. We know he quit on his life. He had the chance to set himself and his family up. All he had to do was play football but he quit. He then challenged the NFL because he quit. He tried to get the NFL to adopt a policy that, in the long run, would have hurt many players. For what? Because he quit and then needed a way to try and capitolize. He quit last year on the combines. Never even really showed up. Now, he quits on the combines again because he ran slow.

One thing we know for sure. Clarret is a quiter.

[Avery]

I'll just say this: there's a lot of good running backs out there who have played their 3-4 years, stayed out of trouble and are trying their very best at the combine to show that they can play in the NFL. They may have ran subpar times or felt down on their interviews but they did not pack up and leave.

When the name Maurice Clarett is mentioned, most people remember him not for his standout freshmen season at OSU but because of what he has done off the field.

[groverat]

We know this. We know he quit on his team. We know he quit on school. We know he quit on his life.
The school quit on him just as much as he quit on school. And what does "he quit on his life" mean? He is still trying to get to the NFL.

Like Mike Williams he took a gamble on being able to enter the draft early and he failed. Big deal. He "blew off" NFL GMs? What does that mean?

He carried his OSU team to an undefeated season and a national championship.

I don't really like the kid but there's no reason to be stupid about him. Take him on a flyer in the 6th or 7th, there's no reason not to. To deny his talent after having seen him play is just idiotic.

He'll be a solid journeyman back in the league. Definitely worth a 6th or 7th rounder.

Comparisons to Lawrence Phillips are just childish. That dude was a woman-beater scumbag. This kid is just immature and cocky, both of those will get knocked out of him the first time he steps into an NFL practice with live hitting.

And as far as Henson, it's a lot easier to walk back into the RB slot than the QB slot.