After NC State transfer RB Hollywood Smothers flipped his commitment from Alabama to Texas out of the Transfer Portal, it put added pressure on incoming freshman 5-star Ezavier "EJ" Crowell to make an immediate impact in Tuscaloosa.
Alabama desperately needs a difference-maker at running back, and Crowell's talent jumps off the film when you watch him play. After a dominant three-year run at Jackson High School, Crowell arrives in Tuscaloosa a year early after reclassifying and with high expectations.
But Crowell isn't putting that pressure on himself. He's also not concerned with the potential developmental curve that can come with the jump from high school to college football. If it takes him time to get on the field, he's okay with that. His focus is on development. The process over the results.
And that's a refreshing mindset in today's instant gratification era. And it's why he'll almost certainly carve out a quick role for the Crimson Tide.
“If I don't play early, it don't matter. I'm just here to keep developing," Crowell said via Touchdown Alabama Magazine. "Hopefully my sophomore year, junior year and senior year I can take over."
Ezavier Crowell has a refreshing mindset heading into his Alabama career
If Crowell is the player so many expect him to be, not only will he carve out an immediate role for Alabama next year, we can also probably forget about him having a senior year of college football.
But you don't hear kids his age - one who should be preparing for his senior year of high school instead of his freshman year of college - talk like that anymore. It speaks to the culture that Kalen DeBoer is building and the type of kids he's going after on the recruiting trail.
Crowell is the real deal. He could play a big role as a freshman at pretty much every school in the country. But his focus is just on getting better and developing every day. He knows if he does that, the rest will take care of itself.
Crowell will enter a wide-open RB room. There's talent there between Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley, and AK Dear, but there's also an opportunity for Crowell to take the reins as a true freshman.
Crowell was awarded with Alabama's "Mr. Football" on Tuesday night after a ridiculous final season of high school. He ran for 2632 yards and 35 touchdowns in one of the most dominant seasons in Alabama high school history.