Ohio State has landed a verbal commitment from 3-star 2019 Jacksonville running back Marcus Crowley. Crowley had been committed to Miami for nearly a year and held offers from Georgia, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Florida, and Bowling Green.
The Buckeyes offered last month after the decommitment of running back Sampson James. Following an official visit this weekend, Crowley made the plunge.
#Buckeyenation?⚪️? pic.twitter.com/E7UrItFDU0
— Marcus Crowley (@marcus_2334) November 4, 2018
Crowley, the No. 35 running back in the nation, attends Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Florida, which is the same school that has produced current Buckeye defensive backs Shaun Wade and Tyreke Johnson.
Crowley (6-1 200) has rushed for 1,550 yards so far during Trinity Christian’s 10-0 season. Those who have seen TCA play say that he is the best player on a very good team. Crowley is averaging 10.3 yards per carry and has scored 20 touchdowns on the ground.
As a runner, Crowley displays several different running styles. At times he is patient and reliant upon subtle moves in traffic. Other times, he is juking and trying to make things happen while surrounded by tacklers. And still other times he simply flies straight ahead when the opportunity presents itself. Regardless of how the run starts, however, it usually ends with him getting an extra yard or two (on the plays where he is actually being tackled, of course).
When Sampson James decommitted from the Buckeyes last month, the OSU recruiting staff set out to find another top-notch running back and Crowley was immediately at the top of their list. They went full speed ahead on his recruitment and it paid off in less than four weeks.
The commitment of Marcus Crowley now gives the Buckeyes two running backs in the 2019 class. Georgia’s Steele Chambers (6-2 215) has been committed since April. Together, they give Ohio State two ball carriers who could develop into a pair of bigger backs to go along with the speed and quickness that has been recruited of late.
