Recruiting Report: Jackson Crawford (2018)

Few if any Minnesota prep football players have made as significant a position change this season as Cretin-Derham Hall's Jackson Crawford. Just last season, Crawford was the starting quarterback for the Raiders with designs on the state tournament and possibly offers to play quarterback in college. During the offseason – to the benefit of all involved - Crawford realized the best way to help his team and increase his scholarship opportunities down the road was to switch sides of the ball. "(Head coach Brooks Bollinger) decided to go with Danny Callahan at quarterback. He has done I better job than I probably might have done," Crawford said. "I could either sit behind him and rode the bench my entire senior year or made a move that probably was going to happen in college either way to defense. I think it has been a great opportunity for me to move around on the field." Although the position change wasn't official until fall practices began, Crawford had a feeling the change might be coming. "There was talk of it, and I just told the coach I would do whatever you think is best," Crawford said. "When we had our scrimmage, I played outside linebacker, and he told me after that he believed outside linebacker was my natural position. I trusted him all the way and fully engulfed myself in the position and have liked it ever since." During summer 7-on-7 sessions, Crawford spent time at nearly all positions. The move to defense has helped the Raiders to a 6-2 record and helped the defense keep four of its seven opponents to 14 points or less. The actual position change worked out well for the senior. "It wasn't too difficult, but it certainly wasn't easy," the 6-foot-3, 195-pound senior said. "I have played quarterback my whole life, so I pretty much knew what defenses were trying to do without actually playing it. I think my body type, strength and speed fit well with playing a defensive position." Understandably NFN's 24th-ranked senior is still getting a feel for his defensive end/outside linebacker hybrid position. "Dropping into coverage is something I had never done in my life. Along with tackling – I have never tackled anybody until this year. Last year I threw a pick-six, and I got destroyed trying to make the tackle. They weren't difficult to learn, but they were different to get used to. I think I have adapted pretty quickly." Although he knows he has things to work on, Crawford already has an important aspect of defensive play down – instincts. "I have a good sense of what is going to happen and where people are going to go. I can pick up tells from watching film and things like that. (As a former quarterback) I know when the opponent's quarterback is prepared or not prepared for a pass rush. I just get a feeling of when someone is going to scramble or when someone is going to release the ball." Last summer he was able to work on his non-quarterback skills during his time at college camps. "I went to camps at Michigan State, Notre Dame, Minnesota, South Dakota State and Iowa," Crawford said. "I was blown away by all the facilities I saw." Most of the programs liked what they saw in Crawford. "They liked that I am an athlete and that I am able to move positions on the field and strive." At the camps – like 7-on-7 – colleges had him moving all over the field. Although he hasn't initiated much contact during the season, Crawford said Iowa had been the school that has been in the most consistent contact with him.