2015 Eastern Michigan Football Recruiting: DE Maxx Crosby Talks Commitment With Eagles

It's been a big weekend for Eastern Michigan recruiting. On Thursday, EMU had seven commits. Maxx Crosby became their tenth commit on Saturday, July 26.

Today I would love to announce that I am officially an EASTERN MICHIGAN EAGLE COMMIT!!!!! @EMUFB #GoEagles #YpsilantiBound #MAC #D1

— Maxx Crosby (@CrosbyMaxx) July 26, 2014

"It's been a dream since I was a little kid to be a division-1 football player and to be on TV someday," Crosby told Hustle Belt. "Thank the Lord that it happened and thank Eastern Michigan the most for giving me the opportunity. I think it's going to be really big for me and my family."

Having played his high school football down in Colleyville, Texas, in the state where high school football is practically an unhealthy religion, committing to Eastern is sort of a "coming home" story for Crosby.

"Until 6th grade, I moved in Michigan my whole life," Crosby said. "I lived in a bunch of places in the metro-Detroit area... My whole family still lives up there."

Heavily recruited by defensive coordinator Brad McCaslin, who started to watch Crosby back during spring practices, EMU became the first and only school to offer Crosby.

"I chose Eastern Michigan because right now it feels right," Crosby said. "No other team came out towards me like eastern michigan did towards me. I went to their camp and they offered me there... Eastern offered (in June), so I waited a month to see if I would get any more offers and I didn't get any, so I committed there... The recruiting process is basically over, but it's still going on at the same time."

Coming up to Michigan in the tail-end of June for vacation there was a camp going on at EMU during Crosby's stay, which he decided to attend. McCaslin and head coach Chris Creighton watched very closely and really liked what they saw in the athletic defensive end.

"What they loved about me at the camp was that I was 'a man amongst boys in 1-on-1 pass rush' and I didn't drop a ball, doing it all with a smile on my face," Crosby said.

Crosby has the attitude that every football coach would love to have. Grit, nastiness and toughness are the best traits to have, especially if Eastern's new field is going to look like they're playing on a parking lot.

"Personally, I look at myself as just a football player," Crosby said. "A lot of the guys are the best in the weight room and stuff like that, but I'm just purely a football player. I'm the meanest guy on the field, I have no fear, I'm physical, I'm not afraid to do anything on the field.

"I think (The Factory) is awesome. It represents the blue collar mentality around the program and how a lot of the kids on the team might not have had the most in their lives, but they fought through and now most of them are on scholarship helping their families out a lot. It just represents the city and the hard-working people."

Overall, Crosby spoke very highly of the coaching staff at EMU as well, saying that Creighton has a huge vision for this program, wanting to be a part of it.

"I love the coaching staff a lot, that was one of the biggest reasons that made me commit," Crosby said. "All the coaches individually sent me letters the day before I committed, wanting me to be a part of it, and I thought that was awesome... I just like the environment and the coaches and what they're trying to do up there and turn everything around. I really want to be a part of that."

A lengthy defensive that has played his high school football down in Texas and has experience playing in the 3-4 defense that EMU is switching up to are good reasons to offer an athlete like Crosby to the program. He might not be the biggest guy on the field, but there's no reason to think that Crosby can't bulk up in a year before even coming to Ypsilanti as a freshman. Crosby is now the eighth defensive player to commit to EMU.

Here is one of Crosby's highlight tapes, courtesy of Hudl: