Aashari Crosswell is the No. 10 safety and No. 99 overall player in college football’s 2018 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite.
4-star safety Aashari Crosswell is a classic ball hawk. Can USC keep him home?
The Los Angeles native will annoy QBs for a long time.
Crosswell plays at Long Beach Poly in Southern California, and hometown USC has long been considered the favorite to land him. But Crosswell told reporters this month at The Opening, a Nike showcase in Oregon, that his recruitment remained open. Nebraska, Michigan, Oregon, Colorado, Washington, and UCLA have all popped up as potential destinations, and Crosswell says he’ll take a full slate of five official visits.
Whoever gets Crosswell will get one of the best ball-hawking safeties in the class. Crosswell is just shy of 6’1, and he doesn’t look like an overwhelming physical presence. But he’s so athletic that he becomes imposing as soon as he breaks on the ball. He’ll be a significant interception threat against college quarterbacks.
Crosswell ran a 4.6-second 40-yard dash at the Los Angeles regional camp for The Opening. Crosswell’s athleticism shows up where it matters the most. He’s most impressive when he’s chasing the ball or running away from people after he’s picked it off. His game speed and instincts might be the most impressive parts of his game.
Asked for a scouting report, Crosswell’s brief: “Physical, smart, and that’s about it.” He models his game after Chiefs safety Eric Berry’s, and he’s still refining it.
“I’ve been working on just getting better — conditioning, staying in shape, and that’s about it,” he said. “Everything else, I’m just being me.”
Crosswell plans to study business in college.
“Football don’t always work,” he said. “After football, after I retire from football, I would like to start my own business. Open up some shoe stores or whatever.”
