Golden Bear Roster Rundown: No. 11, Kekoa Crawford
This is a continuing series running down Cal's football roster for the 2020 season.
Cal Career
Kekoa Crawford is an interesting case for the Bears, after coming in as a transfer from Michigan. Cal was undefeated when Crawford played, going 6-0 with the former Santa Margarita Catholic standout in the lineup.
In 202 offensive reps, Crawford was the 4th highest graded member of Cal's offense per Pro Football Focus (behind Jake Curhan, Chase Garbers, and Christopher Brown Jr.) with a 74.9 grade.
Crawford had his biggest game for the Bears in the opener against UC Davis with three receptions for 84 yards and two touchdowns, including a 37 yards that was the first touchdown of the year for the Bears. His biggest in-game impact came against Washington, where he turned a broken play into a 25 yard catch and run, setting up the game-winning field goal to beat the Huskies.
Crawford finished 2019 with 16 receptions for 272 yards and 2 touchdowns, with no drops, an issue that plagued him at Michigan. 14 of those 16 receptions went for first downs, and when targeting Crawford, Cal QBs had a passer rating of 132.6.
Expectations for 2020
Crawford, when healthy, gives Cal a dynamic receiver capable of turning shorter passes into big plays, as shown by the Washington game. Crawford can play both in the slot and on the outside, making him an adaptable fit for Bill Musgrave's offense. He's a solid route runner, can make the difficult catches in the RPO game, and can run the double move routes that work well off the play action game the Bears will be putting in.
In short, Crawford may be the guy that the Bears are looking for for a top receiving threat. He has the complete toolset for a wide receiver, albeit shown in a small sample size in 2019. If healthy, he has the potential to be the top guy.
Health is the biggest thing for Crawford, who ran through individual drills in spring practice but didn't participate in team sessions, as the Bears hope to get him for a full season, whatever that may look like in Memorial Stadium.
Recruiting Flashback
A Rivals150 player in the class of 2016, Crawford committed to Michigan at the US Army All-American Bowl, choosing the Wolverines over multiple offers from the Pac-12. Crawford would play two years at Michigan, leaving prior to the 2018 season in order to be eligible for the 2019 season at a new school.
Crawford ended up visiting Cal during bowl preparation for the Cheez-It Bowl in 2018, committing to the Bears not long after Devon Modster, a longtime friend, chose the Bears as well.
By Rivals' recruiting ranking, Crawford is the highest ranked player on the Cal roster currently.