If you’re a running back committed to Alabama, the spotlight is going to be directly on you, no matter what team you’re playing. That’s exactly the case for Jackson (Ala.) four-star running back and Crimson Tide pledge Ezavier Crowell.
Friday night, Jackson took on unbeaten St. Michael Catholic (Fairhope, Ala.) in a game that the Aggies would go on to lose 49-39. Despite that loss, the only person anyone who saw the game was talking about after was Crowell.
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Crowell was selected to the 2025 ALL-USA Football Team watchlist coming out of the Southeast region, and for good reason.
Rushing for over 300 yards and scoring multiple times in the loss, he more than proved his ranking as one of the nation’s best backs.
ALL-USA Football Team spotlight: Ezavier Crowell
Had it not been for Crowell’s historic performance, the Aggies could have been in for a rougher night against St. Michael Catholic.
He paced the team’s offensive attack, carrying the ball 20 times for 336 yards and two touchdowns. Crowell averaged 16.8 yards a carry and busted off a long of 50 yards.
Ezavier Crowell recruiting notes
A 5-foot-11, 210-pound bowling ball of a back, Yeldon has been committed to Alabama since June 26. The Crimson Tide won a heated recruiting battle that came down to a four-way competition between Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, and Texas.
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Being an in-state kid, many projected that the battle would ultimately come down to the Crimson Tide and Tigers. Both schools received his final two official visits, with Auburn hosting him on June 13 and Alabama a week later.
No school hosted Crowell more than Alabama. Leading up to his commitment he had been there nine time and and over the last few weeks he’s taken multiple trips back to Tuscaloosa.
Ezavier Crowell comps: Alabama’s next Mark Ingram?
When it comes to previous Alabama backs, there’s no shortage of whom you could compare Crowell to. One name that Crowell has been compared to frequently is Alabama’s first Heisman Trophy winner, Mark Ingram.
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Coming out of high school, Ingram, ranked as the No. 114 player in the country and No. 10 running back, was about an inch shorter than Crowell is now but weighed five pounds more. The perfect size of speed and athleticism, Crowell has the same sort of burst that made Ingram one of Alabama’s all-time greats.
In three seasons with the Crimson Tide, Ingram was a powerhouse, rushing for 3,261 yards and 42 touchdowns. During his Heisman season and Alabama’s first title run under Nick Saban, Ingram ran for 1,658 yards and 17 touchdowns.
The New Orleans Saints selected Ingram with the 28th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Ingram retired following the 2022 season after 12 years in the NFL. He finished his career with 8,111 yards and 65 touchdowns.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: Ezavier Crowell makes impressive case for ALL-USA National Football Team
