That Crabtree hasn't slipped on most draft boards is a testament both to the nature of his injury and to his complete dominance in college. No other receiver shed as many double-teams and caught the ball as cleanly (231 receptions in two years). No other top pass-catching prospect is as bigGMs describe Crabtree as "thick"and no other is as good at using his body to shield cornerbacks. Says his ex-coach, Mike Leach: "The way he can turn and put his ass on a defender really is remarkable."



As is the way he seems to have won over some NFL brass. At the combine, 16 clubs asked Crabtree about everything from dissecting defenses ("Easy," he says) to how many times a week he hits the clubs ("Maybe once"). "He's a good kid," says an NFC GM. "You can tell because his teammates loved him." And Crabtree loved them. Not because they nicknamed him Supa, but because they gave him a hard time for how he mumbled, chewed on Gatorade caps and draped himself over their shoulders like an overcoat when they shared a laugh.



But neither conversations nor tests could reveal Crabtree's most innate plus, his balance. Scouts don't measure it. They don't stand prospects on a Wii Fit and calculate which leg is dominant. But it's the most underrated aspect of a receiver's game, the reason why some break tackles and tiptoe the sideline while others don't. Crabtree learned how to keep his feet as a 4-year-old in Dallas, when he and his older brother, Keiron Stevenson, backflipped off cars, over bikes and up and down the street. "My choice was to land on my feet or on my head," he says.



To truly appreciate Crabtree's balance, scouts need only ask themselves questions and watch his film for answers. How do his shoulders look when he runs? One GM says they're always over his feet, never bobbing up and down. How does he handle contact? Very well: He broke 298 tackles last year on 97 catches. Does he stumble out of breaks? No. That's a skill honed by Leach, who would soak the practice field in Lubbock and make Crabtree cut on it. Can he adjust as he's running? Yes. One of Texas Tech's bread-and-butter plays was the tunnel screen, in which Crabtree caught a quick pass and ran along the line of scrimmage, waiting for an opening. "He's so fluid as he searches for a crease," says one AFC personnel director. "He's like a point guard." That's no coincidence. Crabtree played point so well at Carter High that Bob Knight offered him a scholarship. "He's the best receiver," says another NFC GM, "if not the best athlete."