Derrick Crawford (wide receiver) explained

Derrick Crawford
Position:Wide receiver/Return specialist
Birth Date:3 September 1960
Birth Place:Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Height Ft:5
Height In:10
Weight Lbs:185
High School:East
(Memphis, Tennessee)
College:Memphis State
Suppdraftyear:1984
Suppdraftround:1
Pastteams:
Highlights:
Statlabel1:Receptions
Statvalue1:5
Statlabel2:Receiving yards
Statvalue2:70
Statlabel3:Receiving touchdowns
Statvalue3:0
Cflstatlabel1:Receptions
Cflstatvalue1:179
Cflstatlabel2:Receiving yards
Cflstatvalue2:3,050
Cflstatlabel3:Receiving touchdowns
Cflstatvalue3:28
Cflstatlabel4:Return yards
Cflstatvalue4:3,130
Cflstatlabel5:Return touchdowns
Cflstatvalue5:5
Pfr:C/CrawDe21

Derrick Crawford (born September 3, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL), the United States Football League (USFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the Memphis Tigers.

Early life and high school

Crawford was born and grew up in Memphis, Tennessee and attended East High School, where he played quarterback. As a senior he was awarded the Walter Stewart Memorial Award by the Memphis Quarterback Club as back-of-the-year for the Memphis area.[1]

College career

Crawford was a member of the Memphis State Tigers for four seasons. He was the team's leading receiver as a junior with 31 receptions for 594 yards and three touchdowns and as a senior, when he caught 32 passes for 523 yards and two touchdowns and was named All-Metro Conference.[2]

Professional career

Crawford was selected by the Memphis Showboats in the 1984 USFL Territorial Draft. As a rookie, Crawford caught 61 passes for 703 yards and 12 touchdowns and was named All-USFL as a return specialist after returning 47 kickoffs for 1,237 yards and one touchdown. In 1985, had 70 receptions for 1,057 yards and nine touchdowns and also scored a touchdown on a 60-yard punt return.[3]

Crawford had been selected in the first round (24th pick) of the 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft of USFL and CFL players by the San Francisco 49ers and signed with the team after the USFL folded in 1986.[4] He played one season for the team, catching five passes for 70 yards.[5]

Crawford returned to professional football in 1990 when he joined the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL).[6] In 1992, Crawford had 47 receptions for 714 yards and five touchdowns in the regular season was the leading receiver with 162 yards in the Stampeders 80th Grey Cup victory.[7] [8] After sitting out the 1994 season Crawford was signed by the Birmingham Barracudas, formed as part of the CFL's attempted expansion into the United States, in 1995.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1970s: Mid-South Memories. The Commercial Appeal. January 10, 2019. August 21, 2020.
  2. Web site: Memphis Tigers Football 2004 Media Guide. August 21, 2020.
  3. Book: Reeths, Paul. The United States Football League, 1982-1986. 219, 309. 9781476627731. McFarland. 2017. August 21, 2020.
  4. Web site: 1984 NFL Draft Listing . 2023-10-10 . Pro-Football-Reference.com . en.
  5. Web site: Loads of attention, but Paxton Lynch unlikely to make Tigers' NFL draft history. Phil. Stukenborg. The Commercial Appeal. April 27, 2016. August 21, 2020.
  6. Web site: CRAWFORD WAS GO-TO GUY IN '92 GREY CUP. Stampeders.com. March 30, 2017. August 21, 2020.
  7. Web site: Stampeders Grey Cup history. Calgary Herald. November 27, 2016. August 21, 2020.
  8. Web site: MAGIC FLUTIE. Paul. Zimmerman. Sports Illustrated. December 7, 1992. August 21, 2020.
  9. Web site: 'Cudas facing huge test for CFL opener. Grant. Kerr. Nanaimo Daily News. July 4, 1995. August 21, 2020.