Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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2015 RECRUITING ISSUE his junior year at St. Edward High in Lakewood, Ohio. His boyhood idol was 2005-07 Wolverines receiver Mario Man- ningham, a fellow Ohio native. He even had it planned out to wear No. 23 at Michigan because the numbers of its last two Heisman winners — No. 21 Des- mond Howard in 1991 and No. 2 Charles Woodson in 1997 — added up to 23. Yet on Father 's Day last summer, Crawford out of the blue opted to don the gold helmet of Notre Dame. "When I go on Notre Dame's campus, I see St. Ed's in a way," Crawford said. "I feel at home and the brotherhood is the same." Measured at only 5-9 at the elite The Opening camp in Oregon last year, Crawford's flip to Notre Dame was huge even if he was the smallest player in its class. "It's a major catch for Notre Dame to get him away from Michigan," longtime recruiting analyst Tom Lemming said. "Former defensive coordinator Bob Diaco [2010-13] originally turned him down because he was too short. When Diaco left, Notre Dame went back after him and got him. [Current defensive co- ordinator Brian VanGorder] was in the NFL and understands that the NFL is loaded with 5-9 corners." Some day, Crawford is expecting to be one of them. ✦ SHAUN CRAWFORD CORNERBACK 5-9 • 170 ST. EDWARD H.S. LAKEWOOD, OHIO RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 82 7 4 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 169 13 6 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 179 22 7 ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ 116 15 3 MEASURABLES • Last summer at the prestigious The Opening, in Beaverton, Ore., he scored 124.80 in the SPARQ (Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction, and Quickness) testing that measures overall athletic ability. He ran a 4.48 in the 40-yard dash, finished the shut- tle drill in 3.94 seconds, reached 38.8 inches in the vertical jump and had a 38-foot throw in the power ball challenge. He finished in the top 20 among approximately 100 participants there. STATISTICS • Totaled 91 tackles, eight stops for loss, seven in- terceptions, 17 passes broken up and three forced fumbles as a senior for 2014 Ohio Division I state champion Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward, which fin- ished 13-2 and ranked No. 15 in the nation by USA Today. On offense, he caught 54 passes for 824 yards (15.3 yards per reception) and nine touchdowns. • As a junior, he was credited with 82 total stops, eight tackles for loss, two interceptions, five passes broken up and two forced fumbles. On offense, hauled in 16 passes for 258 yards (16.1 yards per catch) and two scores. • As a sophomore, recorded 66 tackles, two inter- ceptions, three passes broken up and two forced fumbles. Also notched 24 receptions for 420 yards (17.5 yards per catch) and five touchdowns. HONORS • Named an Associated Press Division I first-team all-state selection as a senior, joining fellow Notre Dame recruit defensive tackle Elijah Taylor on that side of the ball. • Earned a spot on the 2014 American Family Insurance All-USA Ohio team as defensive back. • List as the No. 85 player nationally on longtime recruiting analyst Tom Lemming's top-300 list.