SI All-American Football Freak of the Week: Terrell Crosby
"Freak" is a term thrown around too much in the sports world, but sometimes, it's the first phrase that crowds the cranium when a gaudy athletic feat takes place.
What about an entire game's worth of head-turning and gasps?
SI All-American continues its salute to these dominant high school football players in a weekly feature, aptly titled 'Freak of the Week,' going out to a remarkable Friday night performance.
There were a run of candidates as usual for the honor, but how about the first defensive honoree?
It is Terrell Crosby's time and he's the Freak of the Week.
The St. Petersburg (Fla.) Lakewood senior is a two-way star for the Spartans and makes plenty of plays on offense at wide receiver, but his work in the secondary in 2021 has been as electrifying as any performer on any side of the ball thus far. A commitment to Toledo, he has made impact plays every week for the undefeated program, and it hit another level Friday.
Working against Tarpon Springs (Fla.) East Lake High School, Crosby put in three touchdowns. Two came on defense via interceptions, bringing his staggering interception total to an even dozen through seven games in 2021.
"We were in Cover-3, I looked at the quarterback, and the receiver had an outside release, and I jumped it," Crosby told SI All-American. "The second one, it was a two-by-two set with an X (receiver) and an S. The X did a go route and the S did an out. We were in Cover-3 again, so I jumped that out and it was another pick six.
"I've got 12 picks this year, I know I have 12."
Crosby, who had a four-interception game earlier in the year, has been viewed as an athlete throughout his recruitment given the considerable and productive experience at wide receiver. But the confidence and production in the secondary could affect where he initially lines up at the next level.
"I'm settled in and will probably just stick at DB now," he said. "I play receiver, so I already know what's going to happen. I'm a good receiver, have been playing it for a while, so it's becoming easy for me. I already know what the receiver is going to do, I'm just re-routing him."
The banner senior year for Crosby, on a 7-0 team expected to make a run in the Florida state playoffs, has increased his recruiting reach as well. Multiple Power 5 programs are in contact while Tulane recently jumped in with a scholarship offer.
The senior says he remains on board with Toledo, however.
Two-way recruit Terrell Crosby
John Garcia, Jr.
2021 Freak of the Week Archive
Week 0 - Pike Road (Ala.) Quarterback Iverson Hooks
Week 1 - Port St. Lucie (Fla.) Running Back Eden James
Week 2 - Gautier (Miss.) Quarterback Kaden Irving
Week 3 - Millville (N.J.) Running Back LeQuint Allen
Week 4 - Santa Rosa Beach (Fla.) South Walton Tight End Pearce Spurlin III
Week 5 - Savannah (Ga.) Benedictine Military Quarterback Holden Geriner
Week 6 - Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei Quarterback Elijah Brown
Have a Freak of the Week nominee? Tweet @SIAllAmerican each weekend for a chance to be featured!