Isaiah Crowell returns home to talk education, second chances with school kids

(Dayton Daily News photo)

A year ago, Isaiah Crowell was wondering where he’d be drafted in the NFL. On Wednesday, the Cleveland Browns running back and former Alabama State star spent time talking to students at his former schools in Columbus, Georgia about education.

On Tuesday, the man who rushed for 607 yards and 9 touchdowns as an undrafted rookie last season, visited his former schools — Dawson Elementary, Rothschild Middle and Carver High — to speak with the students about work ethic, responding to adversity and achieving dreams. They are three subjects the 22-year-old is very familiar with.  

 “The main thing (I wanted to tell the students) is really just to listen,” he said. “Listen to the people that care about you — the parents and teachers and coaches — because they’re not going to tell you wrong. And basically, just keep your nose clean because I don’t want to see anyone go through what I went through.”

What Crowell went through involved a weapons charge while at Georgia. That charge was eventually dropped, and resurrected his playing career at Alabama State before declaring for the 2014 NFL Draft. He went undrafted, but made the Browns and became the team’s leading rusher in 2014.