Sixth-round pick Xavier Crawford feels overlooked despite joining Texans, eager for NFL success
Xavier Crawford thinks he could've gone higher in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Despite viewing himself as a better prospect than experts and scouts project, the Central Michigan cornerback was selected with the 195th overall pick to the Houston Texans in the sixth round.
He finally accomplished a dream that he once set for himself as a youth football player – back when the helmet was too big for his head; when the shoulder pads spilled over.
“Initially, it was nerve-racking going through the whole process," Crawford said. "Once my name got called, all of that left my body and it was immediate excitement. At the end of the day, it’s a blessing. I’m going to make the most of the opportunity.”
At the NFL Scouting Combine on March 4, Crawford posted a 4.48-second 40-yard dash, 2.66-second 20-yard dash, 1.62-second 10-yard dash, registered 11 on the bench press and a 37.5 inch vertical.
On March 14, over a week later, Crawford pumped out a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at CMU's Pro Day.
Crawford had a pre-draft workout with the Texans and even met with them at the NFL Combine. Even though the parties were close heading into the draft, the cornerback had no clue where he'd end up.
But Crawford isn't surprised that he's headed to Houston.
"This process can go anywhere, so I didn’t know for sure if that was where I would be," Crawford said. "But to hear my name called, it was a little less surprising, but at the end of the day, you never really know.”
Crawford's old teammate, former Oregon State cornerback Treston Decoud, was selected in the fifth round (No. 169 overall) by the Texans in the 2017 NFL Draft. Besides word of mouth from Decoud, Crawford said he's unsure of what to expect when he starts rookie minicamp on May 3.
Because Crawford doesn't know anyone on the team and hasn't ever been to an NFL minicamp, he said excitement and nervousness will clash once he arrives in town.
"I don’t know what to expect other than stories I’ve heard, but you have to experience things for your own," he said. "It’s more exciting than anything to be back playing football.”
However, Crawford claimed he's well aware Houston's push for a Super Bowl. The Texans won two-straight ACF South championships before going 4-12 overall in 2017. Last year, coach Bill O'Brien got Houston back on track with an 11-5 record and a first-place finish in its division.
"This organization is trying to move up and win a Super Bowl, so I’m blessed to be a part of a good team that is ready to compete at a high level," Crawford said. "To have their goals set on being Super Bowl champions, I’m happy I’m with that organization.”
Crawford's lengthy journey
Crawford emerged as a three-star cornerback recruit out of high school. He played both ways as a defensive back and wide receiver, starting off his career at Pittsburgh High School and eventually transferring to Clayton Valley Charter as a senior in 2013.
The 5-foot-10, 187-pound stud in press-man coverage was originally committed to San Diego State before flipping to Oregon State on 2014 National Signing Day. Due to scholarship count issues, he was forced to take a grayshirt and didn't enroll at the university until January 2015.
Crawford then took a redshirt in 2015 before finally stepping on the field in 2016.
And, oh boy, did Crawford ever make his mark quickly in Corvallis.
Earning Freshman All-American honors, Crawford accumulated 70 tackles, two tackles for a loss, one sack, one forced fumble, 11 passes defended and one interception for the Beavers that year.
"I finally got to play and was like, ‘Alright, I can do this,'" Crawford said.
Building momentum heading into the 2017 season, Crawford went down with an injury five games in. He missed the remainder of the campaign, finished his undergraduate degree and transferred to CMU.
Crawford made an immediate impact while lining up at right cornerback, opposite to Sean Murphy-Bunting, in Mount Pleasant. He made 24 tackles, three tackles for a loss, a Mid-American Conference best 13 pass breakups and one interception.
"I rehabbed and came back feeling right at Central Michigan," Crawford said. "I got my confidence back to do what I love. Being able to play a full season while healthy was huge for me."
Now, at 23 years old, Crawford has finally reached the NFL after five years at the college level. It could've been six seasons, but he declined to use his final year of eligibility at CMU to enter the draft.
Playing with Murphy-Bunting
Fellow cornerback Murphy-Bunting, who was selected No. 39 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2019 NFL Draft, gave Crawford a boost while the pair commanded the Chippewas' secondary.
During 2018 spring football camp, nearly two months before Crawford announced his transfer to the Chippewas, Bunting was in his ear with a plan – play one season, stay healthy, gain attention from scouts and leave early for the draft.
"To actually play the season healthy and have the opportunity to do that was crazy," Crawford said. "We were talking about it and now we are doing it.
Murphy-Bunting finished out his CMU career with 104 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, nine interceptions, 15 passes defended, one fumble recovery and four forced fumbles in three seasons. He was an All-MAC Defensive Team honoree, just like Crawford, last season.
"To compete with him, have him as my roommate, study film with him and learn from each other about coverages – certain receivers and releases ... he definitely played a big part in it," Crawford said.
Murphy-Bunting arrives in Tampa Bay on May 9 to start rookie minicamp one day later.
