Take Two: What's in the cards for No. 1 prospect Quavaris Crouch?
Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling a handful of issues in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and an expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites.
MORE TAKE TWO: Is Clemson preseason No. 1? | Should Chubb be No. 1 overall pick?
THE STORYLINE
He’s the No. 1 prospect in the country, and no one is sure where Quavaris Crouch is going to play - what position or even what school.
The Charlotte (N.C.) Harding University standout moved to the top spot in the 2019 rankings this last cycle after former No. 1 QB JT Daniels reclassified to the 2018 class. There is a tremendous amount of intrigue about Crouch, mainly because he remains open to a lot of teams and is still figuring out whether he’ll be a running back or linebacker over the long term.
Derrick Williams was the only other athlete to finish No. 1 overall - in the 2005 class - in the Rivals.com era dating back to 2002. That says little about Crouch, other than it’s rare not to have a set position and to finish in the top spot.
A prospect who looks like a bigger Dylan Moses or a slightly smaller Bo Scarbrough, can Crouch stay at running back or will he be forced to move to linebacker? And is this shaping up as a Clemson-Alabama powerhouse battle for Crouch’s services, or can other top programs sneak in as well?
FIRST TAKE: ADAM FRIEDMAN, RIVALS.COM MID-ATLANTIC RECRUITING ANALYST
“There are a couple of major contenders, but Clemson seems like the one that has piqued his interest the most. The Tigers have the least to prove going into the season and they’ve given him the option of playing offense or defense. He has a really good relationship with the running backs coach.
“South Carolina is a big contender, but it’s all about how the team performs this year and how he sees himself fitting into its scheme. Alabama is going to be hanging around for a long time because of his similarities to Moses and the options the Tide gave him. That’s intriguing to Crouch. Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee and a number of other schools are also in the mix.
“It seems like Clemson is doing the best with him, but it’s very fluid and he’s not close to a decision.”
SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM NATIONAL RECRUITING ANALYST
“It’s going to be between Clemson and Alabama, is my guess. I think he ends up as a linebacker. He’s a big enough kid to make the transition to defensive end, but I don’t think he’ll be as special as a defensive end. He’s at his best when he’s moving in space, running around and making plays.
“It would be tempting to play him at running back, but I think he’s going to outgrow that position. Whether he goes to Clemson or Alabama, they’re going to put him in the best possible position to succeed. It’s going to be one of those two schools and he’s going to be a linebacker.”
