Raiders will likely take Fitzgerald. They clearly have a need for another WR. The combo of Brown Rice are just about done. Porter is already coming into his own. Fitzgerald getting to play with Brown Rice for one year will significantly increase his ability and work ethic (Not saying either are bad, but spending some time with these vets can be nothing but beneficial).
Nope! Character is NOT a concern. Lawrence Phillips? Cecil Collins?? Christian Peter?!?!? The NFL doesn't care--they're concern is $$$$.
What happened to the other 6 picks? He's not an automatic 1st rounder after sitting out a year and because of character issues to boot. He'll be there the second go round. Either Oakland or Denver. They'll take anybody...
I know all of you have televisions, right? Clarett is really, really, really, really, really good. If you watched a highlight tape of last year, his character issue would fade away (particularly if you were an NFL GM).
Maurice Clarett, his mother, his father, his siblings, and especially his lawyer, can only hope and pray that Tagliabue "blacklists" him and tells all teams not to draft him. Clarett may end up owning an NFL franchise when that lawsuit if over. LOL
But none of those players lasted very long or accomplished very much in the NFL, did they? Hey, the NFL is willing to give you a shot, if you have talent. But talent will only take you so far. Sooner or later, you've got to use the grey matter between the ears (if you've got any) to get an advantage over your equally talented opponent. If you fail at this, and if you fail to respect of recognize any superior authority, then you are NOT NFL material. The three goons you just mentioned, plus Clarett, are not NFL material, and they washed out. Just like Clarett will wash out if he doesn't get his crap together.
As for the court ruling, I think it's the right decision legally, but realistically, it's not gonna work. VERY few 18 or 19 year olds are ready for the NFL. This is not like baseball or basketball, this league is physically punishing on a scale unimaginable in any other sport. This is what's gonna happen; Clarett will go to the NFL, he will be drafted, and he will either A) wash out quickly because of character issues and lack of respect for his betters, B) ride the bench for a few years before he is allowed to be a full-time back, provided he straightens his life up, or C) get drafted, get thrown to the wolves, and get so physically beat up he has to retire with crippling injuries in three years. After the first few 18-year-old fresh out of high school boys go to the NFL and end up in wheelchairs, there won't need to be an official rule against it. Every single high school phenom will be told to go to college and will be told about the "unofficial understanding" the NFL has that nobody with less than three years post high school football experience gets drafted. End of story. I'm just gonna hate watching the few cocky young kids whose lives are gonna get destroyed simply because they think they are "The Stuff" or they just want to avoid sitting in a classroom for a few years. But an example will have to be set, unfortunately.
Clarett played a partial year for Ohio State due to injuries. Yes, he is talented. I think that Justin Vincent is better but I don't think that Vincent is ready for the NFL. The character issue won't fade away. Everybody knew how good Randy Moss was but he dropped to the 19th pick in the first round. Right now Clarett is at best a late 2nd round pick and he could easily fall to as late as the 4th or 5th round. He may eventually turn out to be a very good or even great NFL running back but as of now he has done nothing to show the NFL that he is a franchise player.
