Crawford commits to Michigan
SAN ANTONIO -- Dylan Crawford, one of the top receivers in California, committed to Michigan at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday, giving head coach Jim Harbaugh his first major victory in the Golden State in this recruiting class.
"I'm humbled and honored to make this decision and I will be attending the University of Michigan," Crawford said during the first quarter of Saturday's game. "It is the best fit for me."
The four-star wide receiver officially visited the Wolverines during the season and had his in-home meeting with Harbaugh a week before the dead period kicked off last month. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound prospect from Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) Santa Margarita Catholic also officially visited Oregon -- his long-time dream program -- and included Georgia, Miami, UCLA and Washington among his finalists.
If Crawford were to sign with Michigan next month, he would become the first California-based recruit to head to Ann Arbor since four-star offensive lineman Erik Magnuson in the 2012 class. Before his four-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers, Harbaugh coached at Stanford and was successful in recruiting within the state’s borders, so landing Crawford could be an indication of what to expect moving forward.
The recruiting drama might not be completely over, though.
Crawford told Rivals.com earlier this week that Miami, Washington and Georgia could draw visits in the weeks leading up to National Signing Day. Stanford was another contender throughout the recruiting process, particularly with teammate K.J. Costello spearheading those efforts for the Cardinal, and the Ducks should not be discounted, either. It was well known that Crawford long coveted an Oregon offer and, when it finally arrived in late October, it seemed like it would be only a matter of time until the Rivals250 prospect committed there.
Crawford is the No. 25-rated wide receiver and No. 115 overall prospect in the 2016 rankings. He became the fourth receiver in Michigan’s class, joining midyear signee Ahmir Mitchell, four-star Brad Hawkins Jr. and three-star Nate Johnson.
After transferring to Santa Margarita from La Cañada (Calif.) St. Francis last year, Crawford had 51 receptions for 822 yards and seven touchdowns in 10 games this past season.
