Steelers TE Delivers Strong Statment on Raiders DE Maxx Crosby

Getty Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby.

There aren’t many better success stories in the NFL than Maxx Crosby. The Las Vegas Raiders defensive end came into the NFL as a fourth-round pick but has quickly cemented himself as one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. Last season, he notched 12.5 sacks for a defense that only had 27 total.

Crosby was elected to the Pro Bowl for his work last season but missed out on All-Pro honors. Four defensive ends were picked ahead of him, which was something he took issue with. However, though the Associated Press didn’t give him the respect he believes he deserves, players around the league know that he’s an elite talent. Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth played against Crosby in Week 16 last season and was blown away by the pass rusher. He was asked in an interview who the hardest player to block in the NFL is and he quickly answered that Crosby owns the title.

“Dude, I’m sure you can find the clip, but he f***ed me up,” Freiermuth said on the June 30 episode of “Pardon My Take.” “Oh, it was so bad. He sent me flying. I looked back, Kenny [Pickett], he can attest to this story, I looked at him, I’m like, ‘Dude, what do you want me to do?’ He’s like, ‘I don’t know, go low, I guess.’ He’s Maxx Crosby, he’s a hell of a player.”

Maxx Crosby Receives Award From Alma Mater

Despite his NFL success, Maxx Crosby hasn’t forgotten his roots. There haven’t been many high-level NFL players to come out of his alma mater of Eastern Michigan. He’s on track to potentially be the best NFL player to ever come out of the school. Though it has only been four years since he left college, Crosby was named to Eastern Michigan’s Ring of Honor on June 23.

He made it clear that his goal is to be the best player to ever graduate from the school.

“I look myself in the mirror and I’m like, ‘I’m not going to just be a dude from Eastern that made the NFL and had a pretty good career.’ I’m like, ‘I’m going to go be the best. I don’t care what it takes,'” Crosby said, via Raiders.com.

Maxx Crosby Named Among Best Steals of the Decade

The Raiders have struggled early in the draft for years now, but they have found some gems in later rounds. None of the gems have shined brighter than Maxx Crosby. He has been the best player on a defense that hasn’t been ranked top 20 in points allowed since he came into the NFL. Without him, the defense could be in a much worse spot.

In a June 28 column, Matt Miller and Jordan Reid of ESPN ranked the top draft steals of the past decade. Crosby came in at 27.

“Crosby had just one offer to play college football out of high school and signed with Eastern Michigan, where he was a two-time first-team All-MAC performer,” Miller wrote.

“A one-game suspension in college, a frame that scouts thought lacked power and a missing suddenness element to his game caused Crosby to slip to the fourth round, but he turned in a 10-sack debut season as a rookie and has been among the most productive ends in the league since the Raiders turned in his card.”