Recruiting Report: Darnell McCrea (2021)

Benilde St. Margaret's <strong>Darnell McCrea</strong> was a solid two-way player for the Red Knights a year ago as a sophomore starter. This season, he made a position change and has caught the eye of more than one college football program. The Red Knights finished the 2019 season with a 9-1 record. "It was a great year," McCrea said. "We had a great team that bonded well off the field. That led to success on the field. This year was fun." BSM won many of their games at the line of scrimmage. "We loved to run the ball," McCrea explained. "We had a great offensive line and were physical. On defense, Coach (Jon) Hanks tells us to play fast and physical, and even if we mess up, mess up going one hundred percent." McCrea was an integral part of both lines. "(On offense) I think I am best at pulling. We pulled both our guards a lot. That is where I was best. On defense, I usually played left defensive end. I think I am a good pass rusher." A two-year starter – last year, McCrea played defensive end and offensive tackle. "The switch to guard was pretty smooth," McCrea explained. "As a freshman, I played a little bit of guard on the ninth-grade team. The biggest struggle was getting out of my stance quickly." In addition to re-learning a position, McCrea felt he was more effective on both sides of the ball. "I processed the game quicker. I was more physical, and my technique was better. My hands and footwork have improved a lot." The 6'0" 255-pound junior knows he has more work to do. "I want to continue to improve my handwork at the defensive end spot. I need to work on staying lower when I am pulling." This offseason, his improvement has started from getting in the gym. "We are working on injury prevention and my core stability," McCrea told northstarfootballnews.com. "I go four or five times a week. The workouts are always about tempo. I also have a meal plan to help me put some weight on." The workouts will continue throughout the summer. This spring, he will be back on the athletic field. "I will be throwing the shot put this year," McCrea, who is also in the school's acapella group – The Red Notes - said. "I threw as a freshman too, but not last year." Colleges have noticed McCrea's game. "Recruiting has been decent. I just got invited to South Dakota State's junior day. I have been talking to North Dakota and Winona State. I think I am being recruited mainly as a defensive player." It is early, but McCrea might have to look at changing positions again when he gets to college. "UND likes my physical play. They are talking about me playing defensive tackle." Defensive tackle, defensive end, offensive guard or offensive tackle, McCrea will be a threat as a senior and at the next level no matter where he lines up.