Maurice Clarett has had a very difficult time keeping his life on track, to say the least. The story is a long and complicated journey, and is rather quite intriguing. One of the most interesting pieces of information that Clarett provided at one team meal during his UFL training camp, is the fact that he was paid during college. And not that he just made money, but the fact that he says that he “was living the NFL life in college, I got paid more in college than I do now in the UFL.”
Obviously this gives credence to the “money handshakes” that many players were receiving from boosters, and the monetary payment he received for his performances. The fact that he was paid more in college than the UFL is terrible, but not surprising.
Now Clarett had been suspended for receiving improper benefits, and tried to enter the NFL Draft when that happened after his Freshman year. He sued and it went all the way to the Supreme Court, but they upheld the NFL’s rule that you had to be out of High School for three years to enter the NFL Draft. After sitting out, he was finally able to enter the draft in 2005 and he was drafted in the 3rd round by the Denver Broncos. He performed terribly and was cut during training camp.
This is where the trouble set in for Clarett. He was abusing drugs and robbing people. Eventually charges were pressed against him, and he didn’t want to go to jail. Clarett offered to pay the guy off, but the guy said no, and so Clarett loaded up his car with weapons and a bottle of Grey Goose. He missed his exit going to the man’s house and ended up taking an illegal U-turn. He was arrested and sentenced to 7.5 years in prison.
Clarett is now working his way back to being a productive human being, and his whole intriguing story is over at deadspin.com. I highly recommend giving it a read, it’s quite fascinating.