I totally agree, Clarrett did have a very good season last year; but it was not something that made me say, "He will be an awesome running back in the NFL." Running behind an awesome offensive line - arguably the best in the country - and playing on a run first team with a very good defense helped a whole lot. Also, Ohio State winning the National Championship had a whole lot to do with the pub he got. If he had the same numbers at a school like Vandy, noone would know his name. He is a good player, but he would be a late first round pick at best this year - probably later. If Mike Vick can stay in college for 3 years, Maurice Clarrett can also stay in college for 3 years.
Clarett got a lot of pub before the season started. He was on the cover of ESPN the Mag for an article touting how great he was going to be. He is a great college back but NFL scouts that have seen him play aren't being blown away. He isn't that big and is not a burner. The statement that if Mike Vick can stay 3 years than so can Clarett puts things in perspective. He is not the best thing since sliced bread and shouldn't act like he is. However, the way the NCAA is treating him is not good. They should just make up their minds what his suspension will be and go with it so Clarett knows what he is in for.
It really dosen't matter whether Clarett is the second coming of Jim Brown or just a better than average running back. He has a right to offer his services to whoever is willing to give him gainful employment. If he chooses to challenge the NFL rule and if he is somehow able to retain a good attorney he will in all likelyhood be successful in having the rule overturned. Will this open a can of worms where every high school or college freshman who thinks they are good enough to play in the NFL can declare for the draft and then be left out in the cold when they are undrafted? Yes. Would it be a good thing for the players? Definately not. But they would have the same legal right to seek employment in their chosen field as all the rest of us did at the age of 19 or 20. At the age of 18 I had the legal right to apply for any job I wanted to apply for whether I was qualified or not as long as in wasn't in a field that required a professional license such as a doctor or a lawyer. I could have legally applied for a job as a rocket scientist if I had been stupid enough to think I would have been hired. But there are 18 year old geniuses who are qualified to be rocket scientists. Maybe there are actually a few 18 and 19 year olds working as rocket scientists now. I wouldn't know. Even though it would not at all be in their best interests I don't see how the legal system can prevent young football players from having the same rights as basketball and baseball players just because they play a different sport. A very few basketball players have come right out of high school and become NBA superstars like Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and most likely LeBron James. James is already rich beyond mosts of us wildest dreams because Nike was willing to pay him $90 million before he ever set foot on an NBA court. Other high schoolers entering the NBA have struggled to adapt, with some of them hanging on as mid level to low level players with a spot on a teams roster. No multimillion dollar endorsement contracts for them. The poor guys have to eke out a living on from $750,000 to a million and a half per year as long as they can keep on showing enough future potential to have their coach willing to keep them. Will any high school or college freshman football player EVER get a deal like LeBron's or become an instant superstar like Kobe and Garnett? Not very likely. As bad a thing as it will become for the players it will happen sooner or later whether its Clarett of somebody else in the future. Clarett may not be nearly as good as he thinks he is but he is good enough to get drafted by at least the 3rd round if not higher and would likeky be able to earn a roster spot on an NFL team. Maybe he would develope into a great player after a few years in the NFL. Who knows. Most of those who would declare for the draft at an early age in football will either be undrafted or a lot lower round pick than they think. The majority of them will never play a down in the National Football League. If the NCAA wasn't such a pompous and sanctimonious organization they would make a rule allowing the players who fail to return to college and play college football but that will never happen.
The good thing is that in the NFL they draft based on need and what the player can actually do for the team, rather than draft based on potential. So I feel the NFL draft will never look like the NBA draft (meaning we won't see any High Schoolers or college freshman in any draft). I think few teams are looking to groom someone with possible potential, when they have their pick of great players who are ready right now. That is a good post Bengal B, but not many companies are hiring 18 and 19 year olds to high paying top level jobs (most require a degree, or some form of training). You can't work as an architect without getting your degree and then passing the AIA test, no matter how well you can draw or figure out structural physics at age 18.
I had the privilege of attending Youngstown State University when Tressel was winning national championships, I don't see how a national championship can be bought at the 1-AA level. As far as Tressel being "dirty", he is a determined, hard fighting, aggresive coach. I would like to know what someones version of "dirty" is?
