Arrington: Clarett to be marked man

The former Warren Harding High player doesn't care which round he is taken.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- College coaches, pro players, the NCAA and medical experts lined up against a federal judge's decision that permitted Maurice Clarett to join the NFL draft.
"I guess somebody had to give it a try," Clarett said of his court challenge.
Spencer Haywood, whose 1970 lawsuit paved the way for underclassmen in the NBA, agreed with the ruling.
"I was in Iraq this summer for eight days with some retired NBA players and the USO and I saw 18-year-olds fighting for our country," Haywood said. "I'd love somebody to explain to me how we can send an 18-year-old to war, but we can't to the NFL."
But Washington Redskins linebacker LaVar Arrington said many NFL players already have made Clarett a marked man if he makes it to the pros, largely because of the changes he put into motion.
"I know guys are going to be gunning after him a little more because of all the stuff he has done," said Arrington, who left Penn State early. "He could be a great player or he could be one of the biggest busts.
"Because of the way he's done all these things, some people here see it as disrespectful. I'm sure guys are going to break his tail, try to break him in. That's the way it's going to be for him."
NFL opinion
NFL Vice President Jeff Pash said the league would not single out Clarett, a Youngstown native who graduated from Warren Harding.
"I've not the slightest doubt that he'd be treated like every other player," Pash said. "If he can play, he'll be out on the field every weekend."
Clarett said he's not worried about which round he gets drafted in or where he plays.
"I can't control where somebody picks me or how they feel about me," he said.
In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Shira A. Scheindlin said there are tests available to determine if athletes are physically and mentally ready for the NFL.
Dr. Roger Kruse, the U.S. team's head physician at the 1988 Olympics in Nagano, Japan, said those tests do not exist.
"I think the judge is wrong in the fact that we have tests that can rate maturity," Kruse said. "The NFL is so different. Basketball's an easier decision to make because of the talent. You need some strength and stamina, but you can get by without it. In the NFL, you'll get hurt."
No difference
Clarett's attorneys argued that the NFL shouldn't be any different from the NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball, all of which permit high school-age players into their drafts. Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Garnett skipped college to jump directly into the pros.
"Everybody talks about the success of Kobe and LeBron and Garnett and those guys in the NBA, but for every one of them, there's probably two guys that didn't make it, and now what are they doing?" Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jon Kitna said. "I'm all for guys going to get as much money as they can. I'm concerned for the people that don't have good people around them" for advice.
Clarett's antitrust attorney, Alan C. Milstein, was asked if the ruling meant the end of Clarett's time at Ohio State, where he led the Buckeyes to a national championship in 2002 as a freshman.
"It certainly has that possibility," he said.
In a statement, Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger said, "Should Maurice elect to continue his education and football career at Ohio State, we will work with him in the process of seeking his reinstatement with the NCAA for the 2004 season."