You probably remember Maurice Clarett, though you may not remember every twist and turn his story took. The star of Ohio State's 2002 national championship team as a true freshman, he was suspended for the 2003 season, withdrew from school, sued to enter the NFL Draft early, lost, got drafted after his would-be senior season, flamed out quickly, racked up millions in debt, was indicted for aggravated robbery, sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, served three and a half, and now spends his life as a motivational speaker, telling athletes not to do what he did.
"A lot of y'all need to grow the f--- up," Clarett told Florida State in 2015. "That's the bottom line."
Clarett's story has now come full circle, to the point where Ohio State welcomed him back on campus in 2014 as part of the celebration for the Buckeyes' 2002 national championship team.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRw7v085q7E
Clarett's speaking tour took him to Austin Peay on Thursday, where, at the end of his talk, he asked all the walk-ons to stand up. Eventually redshirt sophomore defensive back Juantarius Bryant joins Clarett at the front of the room.
"Did you see yourself being successful?" Clarett asks Bryant.
"I felt like I knew I could play, I felt like I could do something that would make the coaches notice me," Bryant said. "And I always thought about my family in the process. I can't quit because I always think about my little brother. I don't want him to go through the stuff I went through."
The Austin Peay coaches did notice Bryant, because Clarett informed him they'd put him on scholarship.