A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Clifford attended Colerain High School where he collected 130 tackles and had four interceptions his senior season when he helped lead the team to a 15-0 record and the state championship.

He was named Ohio's 2006 Division I Defensive Player of the Year, and earned All-American honors from USA Today and Parade.

[1] Clifford played four games as a true freshman at Ohio State University, before being suspended in December 2007 for violating team rules.

Clifford received TSU Football Joe W. Gilliam Defensive Player of the Year Award and was named All-Ohio Valley Conference Second-team.

After finishing his junior season as the third leading tackler for the Big Blue, being credited with 60 stops (34 solo), 2 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions with 12 passes defended (5 break-up), he was named All-OVC First-team.