Special teams is the ticket for Arizona Cardinals 7th-round pick, S Kitan Crawford

USA Today

27-04-2025

The 2025 NFL draft for the Arizona Cardinals ended late Saturday afternoon with yet another defensive player, but one that could have more impact on special teams if he makes the roster.
Nevada safety Kitan Crawford is the guy to keep an eye on.
As general manager Monti Ossenfort said, 'What really stood out to us (is) his ability on fourth down, his ability to cover kicks and be a disruptive presence. We also think he's got a chance to develop on defense.'
Dane Brugler of The Athletic agreed, writing, 'Crawford is a fluid, loose athlete who can unlock and play fast to the football, although he can be moved off his post and often reacts to the first look from the quarterback. There aren't any questions about his willingness as a run defender, but his reliability finishing tackles must improve.
'Overall, Crawford has NFL-level speed and athleticism, but his inconsistent reads reflect his meager starting experience in the secondary. His special-teams background and testing numbers will make him an appealing prospect in the later rounds.'
During his first four seasons at Texas, Crawford started only four games, but then started 12 last season after transferring to Nevada.
Brugler noted that his 'athletic testing created buzz at the combine,' calling him 'both fast and agile, which leads to quick on-field reactions.' One of those tests was the 40, during which he ran a 4.41.
Crawford knows where his bread is buttered, telling the media after he was picked, 'My plan coming in, because I'm going into the room with Budda Baker; I watched Budda Baker a lot. I studied his game a lot. I'm a fan of his game. I'm coming in just being an impact on special teams, learning from Budda and just being an all-around good safety. I can learn a lot from him. He's a veteran, so I'm ready.'
As for special teams, Crawford was asked where he developed that love. He said, 'It comes from my heart; I take pride in special teams. I love special teams. I adopted this mindset of its only one play, so why not go 100 percent?'
There will be significant competition at many loaded positions on defense, but safety is one where there aren't big numbers. After Baker, Jalen Thompson and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, there is special-teams standout Joey Blount, along with Darren Hall and Jammie Robinson, who was claimed on waivers from the Panthers on Dec. 16 last season and was inactive for three games.
So, Crawford could have a shot, thanks to that special-teams desire.
Asked how scouts can tell when a player truly loves that aspect of the game, Ossenfort said, 'That shows pretty easily; for guys to be the first running down the field, to throw their body around. Special teams isn't always the most glorious job. And then when you find a guy who stands out on tape with his toughness, his physicality, his effort, his finish, I think that says something about a player.
'It's harder to find. Typically in college, guys tend to graduate from special teams as their roles increase. But to find guys that still continue to give that effort, it's pretty cool to see.'
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