After two schools and two long days of watching less-talented running backs picked above him, Isaiah Crowell finally knows his NFL destination. The former Alabama State and Georgia running back signed with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted NFL Draft on Saturday.
Crowell rushed for nearly 2,000 yards and scored 30 touchdowns in his two seasons at Alabama State after transferring from UGA. More importantly, he kept his nose clean and matured according to his coach. Many draft reports rated him as one of, if not the best, pure runners in the Draft. Here is Crowell’s assessment from NFL Scout.
STRENGTHS: Crowell is a dynamic athlete with the explosive feet and shifty moves to quickly change directions and redirect his momentum to keep defenders off balance. He has a lean frame for the position, but is tougher and more physical than he looks, never afraid to lower his pads and get his nose dirty. By keeping his legs churning, Crowell is able to slip through tackles and break free. Once in the open field, he can out-run defenders to the end zone. He wasn’t used much in the passing game, but he has shown soft hands as a pass-catcher and displays accurate awareness in pass protection.
WEAKNESSES: Crowell has some durability concerns, but his character and off-field decision-making are the big questions with his draft stock and something that will be thoroughly investigated by NFL teams. Crowell failed a drug test while at Georgia and was charged with two felony counts of possession of a firearm. Further, he hasn’t shown ideal toughness, struggling to play through relatively minor leg injuries throughout his collegiate career.
Clearly, his exit from the SEC is still on the minds of many scouts. But now that he’s got his foot in the NFL, its up to Crowell to decide whether or not those prognosticators were right or not.