Maxx

Crosby

Crosby (6’5/255) turned pro as a redshirt junior after earning first-team All-MAC in each of his final two seasons and logging 41 career TFLs with 20 sacks, both second most in Eastern Michigan history. Although Crosby teed off on sub-par competition, he showed high-end NFL athleticism with 90th-percentile SPARQ results in Indy, blazing 4.66 with a freaky 6.89 three-cone time. Crosby needs major weight-room work, but he offers the requisite length, movement skills, and on-field tenacity to develop into a starting NFL edge defender. The raiders had a major need at outside pass rusher, and crosby could be a factor early if he takes to NFL coaching.

The Bills got a potential pass-rusher -- and certainly playmaker on the defensive side -- in Houston’s Ed Oliver with the ninth pick, but there’s more work to be done. Crosby is seen as a “work in progress,” but he was extremely productive at Eastern Michigan, and he’s one of the more athletic EDGES left in this class. The Bills need help on offense, too, but Crosby may be too talented to pass on.

As Rang mentions early in his report, Crosby really impressed at both his combine and Pro Day with is athleticism. “Better yet, these numbers simply quantify what savvy scouts see on the field, where Crosby’s initial burst and lateral agility to elude made blocking him like trying to wrap your hands around smoke,” he writes. Rang does note that Crosby is raw, and that he’s going to need to get physically stronger, and also his hand-placement needs work; but he wouldn’t be surprised if he was a Day 2 selection based on the upside. We wouldn’t be, either.

Pauline notes that more than a dozen teams were in town to watch the 6-foot-5, 255-pound defender for the Eagles’ pro day, and we all know who they were here to see. “Crosby stood on most of his combine marks, which included a vertical jump of 36 inches, a 10-foot-2 mark in the broad jump and a 40 time of 4.66 seconds. He also ran 6.89 seconds in the three-cone,” writes Pauline. “Crosby then looked terrific in defensive line and linebacker drills, translating his speed and athleticism onto the field. He even took part in a few defensive back drills upon request.” He projects as a Day 3 prospect, Pauline believes that he’s going to be off the board in the third-round.

The scout makes an interesting comparison to Crosby’s (6'5/255) current tape being like “watching a good player’s old high school tape before he grew into his body.” Crosby lit up the NFL Scouting combine, producing a 90th percentile athletic SPARQ composite score. He was the top performer in the broad jump (122.0), 3-cone drill (6.89s), and 20-yard shuttle (4.13s). NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein compared Crosby to Max Valles and believes he has a “higher ceiling” than most other Day 3 prospects.

Crosby’s (6'5/255) time was second-fastest among defensive linemen at the Combine, with Michigan’s Rashan Gary (4.58s) leading the way. The former Eastern Michigan defensive lineman was also the top performer in the broad jump (122.0 inches), 3-cone drill (6.89s) and 20-yard shuttle (4.13s), and his 36-inch vertical jump was tied for third in his position group. In early January, Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network praised Crosby for his hand technique but also noted that “his lack of power elements are problematic once he’s challenged at the point of attack.”

Crosby (6'5/265) closed the 2018 regular season having recorded 70 tackles (19.5 for loss), 7.5 sacks an interception and four forced fumbles. Draft Analyst’s Tony Pauline believes he could crack Day 2 festivities. He forwards that the EMU standout’s draft stock would be helped with a 40-yard dash run under 4.75 seconds come the spring and also notes that a palatable weight for draft purposes would be around 255 pounds.

Crosby made three tackles for loss against the Rockets on Saturday, which gives him 4.5 of them for the year. He also is up to 4.5 sacks on the year, which is an even more impressive number to Pauline because he’s faced three teams (San Diego State, Purdue and Northern Illinois) who have pro prospects at left tackle. “The junior has excellent length (6'5/265), movement skills and plays with great intensity,” he writes. “As with any underclassmen, Crosby’s true computer numbers loom large in dictating where he’s ultimately selected in the draft but his ability to make plays behind the line of scrimmage is enticing.”

Per Pro Football Focus, those 53 pressures were good for fifth-most in the country by an edge rusher. On the whole, the 6-foot-5, 265-pound Crosby posted 57 tackles (16.5 for loss), 11 sacks and a hearty quartet of fumbles forced. He initially landed with Eastern Michigan as a two-star recruit, so it’s been a special developmental road to this juncture. At the close of the upcoming season, Crosby will be eligible to declare for the draft should he so choose.

Crosby was a pressure machine for the Eagles in 2017, registering a whopping 53 on the season. He also posted 11 sacks and 57 tackles, 16.5 of them for a loss. Pauline notes that Crosby will need to get strong (6'5/265), but “can bend off the edge and quickly gets into the backfield to disrupt the action.” Assuming he has another big season in 2018, he could see his name called on day three -- maybe sooner if a team believes in his upside.