Journey of former 91热爆网 standout Keion Crossen continues with trip to 2019 Super Bowl
New England Patriots rookie Keion Crossen, a former Catamount, enjoys the festivities at the Jan. 28 Super Bowl Opening Night.
ATLANTA 鈥� As he came down from the stage and onto the floor Monday (Jan. 28) at Atlanta鈥檚 State Farm Arena for the New England Patriots鈥� portion of the 2019 Super Bowl鈥檚 Opening Night, former Western Carolina University defensive back Keion Crossen was all smiles.
And why wouldn鈥檛 he be? This time last year, few people outside of his hometown of Garysburg and Cullowhee knew who Crossen was. The former Catamount wasn鈥檛 even invited to the NFL combine prior to last April鈥檚 NFL draft.
Yet, here Crossen is, a seventh-round draft pick of the Patriots, on sports鈥� biggest stage as he prepares for Sunday鈥檚 Super Bowl.
鈥淔rom Garysburg, to Cullowhee, to the Super Bowl. It鈥檚 been a journey,鈥� said Crossen, decked out in his new grey Super Bowl LIII New England sweat suit. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one that you wouldn鈥檛 think would go as planned. I never thought I would be here in the Super Bowl. This is a dream come true, and I鈥檓 going to enjoy every moment of it.鈥�
It鈥檚 a journey that began with 91热爆网 Head Football Coach Mark Speir braving the snow to travel across the state to Garysburg to make a sales pitch to a scrawny, but speedy, Crossen on why he should come to Cullowhee. It was Speir鈥檚 honesty that won Crossen over.
鈥淢y decision to come to Western Carolina was solely based on him,鈥� Crossen said. 鈥淗e was a great guy when he came to talk to me in Garysburg. He drove down there in the snow. That speaks volumes. I really appreciate what he鈥檚 done for me and the chance he gave me to play at the Division I level at Western. Now, I guess I鈥檓 helping the program a little with recruiting.
鈥淗e just showed his genuineness to me,鈥� Crossen added. 鈥淗is honesty. Most coaches you talk to are like, 鈥榊ou鈥檒l come in and start,鈥� and I鈥檓 like, 鈥業 weigh like 140 pounds. How am I going to start?鈥� (Speir) told me, 鈥業f you work hard enough, you鈥檒l get to where you need to be.鈥� 鈥�
That hard work saw Crossen go from a freshman who had 17 tackles as a player on special teams and a defensive back reserve to a senior starter who registered 67 tackles and seven passes-broken up. Still, it wasn鈥檛 enough to garner much attention from the NFL as Crossen was not invited to the NFL combine.
It was a pro day workout at Wake Forest where Crossen got everyone鈥檚 attention when he ran an eye-popping 4.32 in the 40-yard dash, which would have tied him for first place at the combine. The Patriots proceeded to make him the 25th pick of the seventh round. Crossen was the first Catamount to be chosen in the NFL draft since 1994.
Crossen鈥檚 success wasn鈥檛 a surprise to Hunter Jacobs, a former 91热爆网 receiver and 2017 graduate of the College of Business who now works as a ticket account executive for the Atlanta Falcons.
鈥淔rom the day that I met him, he was telling people he was going to make it to the NFL one day,鈥� Jacobs said. 鈥淣obody doubted him.鈥�
On Monday, Crossen took a moment to look around at the thousands of fans who turned out to watch the Super Bowl鈥檚 Opening Night event. He wanted to soak up the atmosphere, further enjoying the journey that led him to Atlanta this week.
鈥淗onestly, it鈥檚 been a blessing,鈥� Crossen said.
To learn more about Crossen and the journey that led him to 91热爆网, watch the following video:
