Editor’s note: This article was submitted by the staff of Penn State’s ComRadio, which will provide draft coverage throughout the weekend from New York. You can browse the organization’s special draft coverage page and follow it on Twitter @NFLDraftShow.
NEW YORK — When Jack Crawford left England to come to a small, private prep school in New Jersey, the thought of playing football never crossed his mind.
A gifted athlete who played numerous sports, Crawford arrived at St. Augustine Prep to play basketball.
However, while sitting out a year due to international student laws, he began to attend football games and became interested in playing.
Crawford moved in with a different host family — the D’Andreas. Their son, Pete, also was thinking about switching from basketball to football. Crawford noted the influence of the D’Andreas, coupled with growing interest in the game, led him to join the football team during his junior year.
When asked about his first game, Crawford talked mostly about his mistakes.
“I just remember being offsides on every play,” Crawford said jokingly in a telephone interview. “Coach [Dennis] Scuderi just told me to go after the ball.”
Crawford grew up a lot after that, and was chosen by the Oakland Raiders Saturday in the fifth round of the NFL Draft.
He’ll be reunited with former Penn State offensive lineman and teammate Stefen Wisniewski, a second-round pick of the Raiders last year.
‘Just want to give a special thanks for all the support I’ve received from everyone back in the #UK #PennState #South Jersey n #RadierNation!!,’ Crawford wrote on Twitter Saturday.
Despite the lack of not having much football experience, his athletic ability and determination led him to Penn State and former head coach Joe Paterno.
“When Joe called me to his office, I was nervous,” Crawford said. “I thought he was going to be mad that I was going home to New Jersey before camp.”
Instead, Paterno told Crawford how impressed he was with him and how he was going to find a way to get the freshman on the field. Before leaving for home, Crawford was told that he would be playing tight end. However, when defensive line coach Larry Johnson found out about it, he quickly stepped in and got Crawford moved back to defensive line.
The decision turned out to be the right one, as Crawford and linebacker Michael Mauti were the only two true freshmen to play in every game.
From that point on, Crawford continued to improve, racking up 14.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks his sophomore year.
A nagging foot injury hampered him his final twos seasons, but he tallied a career-high 6.5 sacks.
After playing his final game for Penn State in January at the TicketCity Bowl in Dallas, Crawford played in the Senior Bowl and then headed to the NFL Scouting Combine in February, where he turned in a 4.76 40-yard dash and a 33-inch vertical.
Crawford then went back to New Jersey to work with former Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Tra Thomas. Not only did Thomas put him through what Crawford said was “the hardest workout ever,” but he harped on the mental and other aspects of the game.
“Tra told me that it’s a business and that these teams are investing in you to produce,” he said.
Willie Jungels is a contributor for Penn State’s ComRadio. He can be reached by email: wbj5008@psu.edu.
Penn State players picked on Day 3 of NFL Draft:
Updated at 6:38 p.m.
And, add Nate Stupar to the draft list.
The State College native and former Nittany Lion linebacker is joining Crawford in Oakland, which drafted Stupar in the seventh round (No. 230 overall).
Updated at 3 p.m.
Defensive end Jack Crawford is headed to Oakland.
Crawford was taken by the Raiders with the 168th overall pick moments ago.
He’ll be reunited with offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski, who was a second-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Earlier at 2:40 p.m.
Penn State offensive guard Johnnie Troutman was the second Penn State player drafted into the NFL, going in the fifth round (No. 149 overall) Saturday to the San Diego Chargers.
Troutman started every game at left guard in 2011 and made 32 career starts.
Defensive tackle Devon Still was picked 53rd overall by the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday night.
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