Clarett Bombs at Scouting Combine... but Why?

After a little image polishing at a press conference Thursday in Indianapolis in which Maurice Clarett seemed to say all the right things, the controversial running back subsequently laid an egg in workouts Saturday afternoon, posting pedestrian performances in the 40-yard dash. According to the unofficial times announced on NFL Network, Clarett ran 4.72 seconds and 4.82 seconds in his two efforts.

As suspected, the former Ohio State running back failed to display the top-end speed needed to push himself into the first day of the draft, but the surprising thing is how lethargic he appeared in both attempts. And to make matters worse, he compounded the situation by dropping out of the rest of the scheduled workouts, leaving serious questions about his mental toughness and dependability when the going gets tough.

The big question is, why did the enigmatic youngster fail so badly after showing up in much better condition than he did at the 2004 NFL Combine when he ran a 4.6? And why did he suffer a meltdown after his poor showing? ESPN's Tom Friend has a perspective on the situation that most of the media has missed, and is worth taking a look at before making a quick judgment based on the results of Clarett's performance Sunday. (Join the discussion)

The former Ohio State ball carrier still has a chance to turn things around somewhat when he holds a personal workout for scouts and coaches. But if he fails to significantly open eyes at that time, there's a chance he will go undrafted when the annual selection meeting rolls around in April. Most likely, he will go no earlier than the sixth or seventh round.