New England Patriots: Rookie CB Keion Crossen brings intriguing athleticism
New England Patriots rookie, Keion Crossen, is an elite athlete with the potential to play special teams or in the slot.
With the 243rd pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots selected cornerback Keion Crossen, an undersized yet highly-athletic prospect out of Western Carolina. Crossen won’t challenge Stephon Gilmore for the Patriots starting cornerback job, however, he provides some intriguing athleticism at an important position.
The Patriots have never shied away from adding cornerbacks either in the draft or as undrafted free agents shortly after. They found a gem in UDFA cornerback Jonathan Jones in 2016 and hit the jackpot with Malcolm Butler in 2014. Even those who didn’t make the Patriots roster have gone on to earn starting roles elsewhere in the league.
This summer, Keion Crossen will be the guy to keep an eye on.
New England drafted Crossen in the seventh-round of April’s draft, although he probably would have been available as an undrafted free agent. The Patriots didn’t want to risk it and made him the 23rd cornerback selected.
Much of their appeal in Crossen likely came from his impressive pre-draft workouts. He wasn’t chosen to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine but did receive an invite to Wake Forest’s Pro Day.
According to DraftScout.com, Crossen clocked a 4.33-second 40-yard dash and 6.67-second three-cone drill, along with a 39.5-inch vertical jump and 10-foot-11-inch broad jump. Those measurables helped Crossen earn a 133.6 pSPARQ and 1.6 z-score from Three Sigma Athlete, which ranked him fourth-best among all 2018 cornerback prospects in terms of athleticism.
Crossen was a dual-sport athlete at Western Carolina and was named the Southern Conference champion in the Men’s 100-meter sprint in 2016, per the Catamounts website.
Despite Crossen’s explosive speed, he does have limitations with regards to his size. He’s listed at 5-foot-10, 185-pounds on the Patriots website and likely will be restricted to covering the slot.
Where does he fit on the Patriots roster?
Crossen shares many similarities with aforementioned cornerback Jonathan Jones. Both are undersized at 5-feet-10-inches, possess blazing sub-4.3 speed, and reside on the “depth” side of New England’s roster.
Jones made the Patriots 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie and was used primarily on special teams. He saw more time at slot cornerback during his second season but remained a key contributor on special teams.
Crossen will have to follow a path similar to Jones’ if he is to earn a spot on New England’s roster. He’ll be tried at cornerback in training camp and the preseason, but it’s how he performs on special teams that will weigh most into whether or not he makes the team.
Crossen started two seasons at cornerback for Western Carolina, tallying three interceptions and 19 pass breakups over his four-year career. Question marks remain regarding the level of competition he faced in the Southern Conference and if his play will translate to the pro level.
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The Patriots wouldn’t have used a pick on Crossen if they didn’t see value in him. He provides elite athleticism at a key position, with little risk. He will need to beat out former second-round pick Cyrus Jones and ‘Patriot of the Year’ award winner Ryan Lewis for the team’s final cornerback spot. Something he is surely capable of doing.