'20 Texas Commit Kitan Crawford (ATH) Highlights and Evaluation
The University of Texas Longhorns added a speedy young man, Kitan Crawford, to their 2020 recruiting class. Crawford (4 stars by 247 & Rivals) is a lightning-fast playmaker whose wheels make him a touchdown threat anytime the ball's in his hands. A gifted sprinter, Crawford's 100-meter personal best is 10.6, and retains that same speed even with football pads on.
@KitanCrawford
A big body at 5'11, 200 lbs, he's beefy enough to be a 20 touch per game guy. But still agile enough to shine in man coverage. He's got a confident style of play at CB. He trusts his closing ability, which has rewarded him with plenty of pass breakups and picks.
As a running back, Crawford was simply out of his league at the high school level. He's the type of runner that could stop on a dime or turn on the jets at will. He's got a good sense of how to run stretch and outside zone, and explode vertically when the window presents itself.
Speed at the high school level can be a curse at the same time as it is a blessing. Speed allows you to get away with bad technique and makes the game easier in general. It takes a lot of discipline to learn how to do it the right way, as opposed to the easy way, especially when you want your speed to shine to college recruiters.
The downfall is that once you reach a level where everybody is as fast as you, you have to learn how to do it the right way. If you don't, your speed won't have an opportunity to shine.
Looks to me that Crawford has done a good job of developing his fundamentals alongside his speed. Texas can't go wrong with him on the defensive or offensive side of the ball. I think top tier defenders are more a little more valuable than runningbacks, so look for Texas to try him at corner for at least the first year of enrollment. Texas cornerbacks coach James Washington has been a successful DB coach for over a decade now.
