Maurice Clarett, American football player
Maurice Edward Clarett (born October 29, 1983) is a former American football running back who played for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team. He also played professionally for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. During his freshman year at Ohio State University in 2002, he helped lead the Buckeyes to a national championship. In a widely unexpected move, Clarett was drafted on the first day of the 2005 NFL Draft with the final pick of the 3rd round (#101 overall) by the Denver Broncos. He is well known for unsuccessfully challenging the NFL's draft eligibility rules requiring a player to be three years removed from high school and for his tumultuous life outside of football, including his dismissal from Ohio State, several arrests, and imprisonment. In the years after his release from prison, Clarett became a public speaker talking candidly about his previous struggles and recovery. Later, Clarett founded a behavioral health agency in Youngstown, Ohio. In recent years, Clarett has become a entrepreneur and was appointed to the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce Board in February of 2022.