F OOTBALL
High school junior
Tyrell Crosby
O F f e n s i v e tac k l e , G r e e n va l l e y H . S .
This rocksolid blocker has some surprisingly nimble moves Thanks to the 2009 movie “The Blind Side,” a whole lot of otherwise clueless people now know the importance of a good offensive tackle. So do the Green Valley Gators, who have a solid one anchoring their line in senior-to-be Tyrell Crosby. At about 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds, Crosby has the size to get in a defender’s way and the nimble footwork to stay there — that’s because Crosby also plays some basketball. At this stage, he’s got the perfect combination college coaches are looking for, which is why he’s drawn interest from a host of Pac-12 and Mountain West schools, including Oregon, Utah, UNLV and San Diego State. The list of schools showing up to offer Crosby a scholarship will continue to grow as he does, because — make no mistake — he’s still got room to get bigger, faster and stronger. Crosby’s 40-yard dash time ranges from 4.9 to 5.3 seconds while his shuttle run — a good test
of speed and agility — is a hair over five seconds. Those are really good times for a young man at his size; the goal will be to maintain those figures while adding strength and weight. That process goes to another level in college, where Crosby will have even more coaches to help build and mold him into the ideal lineman.
Th e P l ay e r
Offensive tackle, junior, Green Valley High School football
Th e b u z z
Scholarship offers from Pac-12 and
Want to catch him in action? The senior-to-be can be found on football fields around the valley this fall, when Green Valley will look to build off its 9-2 record and advance even further in postseason play. After that, the destination is still up in the air, though it’s likely you won’t hear from Crosby for a couple of years. It’s hard for any freshman to step onto a college football field and contribute right away, especially on the offensive line, where size is such a factor. Give him time, though. Crosby has shown considerable promise — and don’t be surprised if you hear his name mentioned on a college football broadcast a few years down the road.
Mountain West schools; 2012 Las Vegas Sun All-City Team; helped Green Valley finish 9-2 last season
Th e p r o s p e c t s
No matter where he takes the field, Crosby’s going to get a shot to be groomed as a premier offensive lineman for one lucky college.
Thanks to his work in helping Green Valley finish with a 9-2 record last season, Crosby has a nice selection of destinations. The best of the bunch so far, and maybe even the best fit for Crosby, is the University of Oregon. The Ducks run a spread offense that puts up points at a prodigious pace at the Division I level. Green Valley also runs a spread, so the learning curve for Crosby may be more manageable there than other destinations. But no matter where he takes the field, Crosby’s going to get a shot to be groomed as one of that school’s premier offensive linemen.
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