Top Alabama defensive tackle Jourdin Crawford breaks down Clemson relationship

Jourdin Crawford is a top defender out of Alabama. (File photo from a 2021 visit).

by Jake Pierce - Recruiting Reporter - Thu Aug 17 07:00:15 GMT-04:00 2023

Clemson’s dominant defenses have been built on the presence of playmaking defensive linemen, and the Tigers are looking to the state of Alabama to add another key piece to the 2025 class.

Birmingham (AL) Parker defensive tackle Jourdin Crawford picked up a Clemson offer on May 31st, adding to a list that includes schools such as Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, and Florida State. At 6-2, 300-pounds, Crawford is ranked as the No. 217 player overall and the No. 20 defensive lineman in the ’25 class.

Crawford has visited Clemson on multiple occasions, including a major recruiting weekend in April that saw the Tigers host numerous top prospects in the ’25 class. With Crawford’s recruitment starting to heat up, the 4-star plans on being back in Death Valley for a game this season.

“I loved my last visit. I was able to meet players and a lot of the staff,” Crawford told TigerNet. “It gave off family vibes. I’m planning to come to a game this fall, I don’t know which one yet though.”

Defensive tackles coach Nick Eason has been an elite recruiter for Clemson, and Eason is leading the charge in Crawford’s recruitment.

“Coach Eason is cool, we have a good relationship,” Crawford said. “On my visits there, I had a chance to get to know his coaching style. And we talk a lot about leadership and development.”

Coaching staffs nationwide are now allowed to contact recruits in the ’25 class, and Crawford is hearing from coaches nationwide. What’s been the message from Clemson and other schools during his recruitment?

“Everyone seems to be excited that contact is live now and we can try to build relationships,” he said. “Coaches talk a lot about my strength and technique. They ask about my video of my recent (605-pound) squat. I think my strengths are my power and I understand the game, so I’m good at making adjustments when I need to. I think my technique is good, but I’m still working on it with my trainers. It’s more that I want to learn from some of the NFL players who train with my trainer.”

As Crawford’s recruitment continues to develop, the 4-star will be looking to announce his top schools at some point during his high school season.

“Mid-season I’ll drop my top twelve and just focus on those schools,” he said. “There are about seven schools that have already been added, but I want to see how it goes. Clemson is definitely on there.”

Crawford’s 2022 high school season included 60 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and nine sacks while leading Parker to the second round of the Alabama 6A playoffs. While looking for the best fit in a college, Crawford will be looking for coaches that match the ones he has played for in high school.

“Leadership from coaches,” he said as a major factor in his recruitment. “I know it’s a big difference in high school and college, but I’ve always had great high school coaches that were good leaders. My coach now, coach (Frank) Warren, and my first high school coach, coach (Tim) Vakakes, when I was at Jackson-Olin. They both set good examples of what to look for in a coach. Development to play at a high level is also important. Good academics and how much support I’d receive after college is something my mom and I talk about a lot. And somewhere that I can make an impact soon, I want to play.”