What’s cooler than being cool? Being DeColdest, evidently.
The rise of name image and likeness (NIL) has given college athletes access to financial opportunities that simply weren’t on offer years ago. Now, players can receive their just rewards for years of hard work on and off the field, court or track.
Nebraska wide receiver DeColdest Crawford is taking advantage of the financial benefits of NIL. The freshman wideout inked a deal with Omaha air conditioning company SOS Heating & Cooling this summer.
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Last week, Crawford featured in a commercial for his newfound brand partner. It was, in a word, sensational.
Peep the video here:
You wanted it, so here it is! @Yrncold knows who to call if you want your AC the coldest this summer! pic.twitter.com/MhJQ5ygNdy
— SOS Heating & Cooling (@SOSHVACOmaha) August 12, 2022
Look at the timing, the bravado, the swagger. DeColdest looks poised to be a star, one way or another.
BENDER: Nebraska due to break through in 2022, but can Scott Frost make it happen?
Here’s everything you need to know about Crawford, the latest Louisiana export making his name in the college football game.
Who is DeColdest Crawford?
DeColdest Crawford is a freshman wide receiver for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Shreveport, La., native was a three-star prospect, per 247Sports.
The 6-1, 178-pound pass-catcher initially committed to nearby LSU but eventually opted for Lincoln over Baton Rouge.
As a high schooler, Crawford was a menace on the gridiron. He reeled in nearly 150 catches for more than 2,200 yards in his career. Crawford caught 30 passes for more than 200 yards as a senior. Although those numbers don’t look particularly impressive, Crawford was playing with a freshman quarterback.
With good speed and decent agility, Crawford looks like a solid prospect. Here’s how he fared against some of the nation’s best defensive backs at a Rivals camp in 2019.
With leading receivers Samori Toure (46 catches, 898 yards) and Austin Allen (38 catches, 602 yards) leaving the Cornhuskers program in the offseason, it looked as if there would be room on the depth chart for Crawford to make a difference.
But the freshman suffered a cruel blow last week. Crawford suffered a knee injury during practice, one that coach Scott Frost said would keep him off the field for an extended period.
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It appears Crawford will miss at least a portion of the 2022 season. That puts Nebraska, which finished 3-9 a season ago, in a tough spot.
Regardless, with a fresh smile, a bubbly laugh and a little bread rolling in from his NIL deal with SOS Heating and Cooling, it seems Crawford’s name will still be on Cornhuskers’ fans lips.
Ice cold, baby, ice cold.
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