COLUMBUS, Ohio - Maurice Clarett ran, jumped, lifted weights and caught footballs for pro scouts Monday. By and large, they came away impressed.
"Obviously he's going to be a bellcow for somebody; he's got that type of ability," said former fullback Tom Rathman, who represented the Lions. "It's just a matter of him developing as a football player."
Clarett declined to work out at the NFL combine in February, so this was the first time scouts had seen the former Ohio State star who could force his way into the draft this month depending on an appeals court decision.
Clarett weighed 230 pounds, his playing weight when he last took the field for the Buckeyes 15 months ago. He had times of 4.66, 4.63 and 4.67 seconds in the 40, a standing long jump of 9 feet, 5 inches and a vertical jump of 36.5 inches. He lifted 225 pounds 19 times.
Almost every team sent a scout.
GIANTS: Defensive end Michael Strahan won't run for a seat on the Montclair, N.J., township council, saying he doesn't have enough time for the job. ... Defensive end Lorenzo Bromell signed.
JETS: Cornerback Jamie Henderson was hospitalized in Atlanta in critical but stable condition after a weekend motorcycle accident. Details were not available.
LIONS: Free-agent quarterback Rick Mirer signed a one-year contract and will compete with Mike McMahon to back up Joey Harrington.
PATRIOTS: Running back Mike Cloud re-signed. Cloud played in five games in 2003 after missing four while suspended for violating the NFL substance-abuse policy.
RAIDERS: Cornerback Ray Buchanan, fourth among active players with 46 career interceptions, signed.
OBITUARY: Lawrence McGrew, a former linebacker who won a Super Bowl with the Giants, died Friday after collapsing at his home in Lancaster, Calif. He was 46. Cause of death was unknown.
