Nobody has seen Michael Crabtree play on a big stage since catching and running for the game-winning touchdown as time expired when his Texas Tech Red Raiders defeated the Texas Longhorns last season.
But now, as Week 7 in the pros approaches, Crabtree will be on an even bigger stage: an NFL field.
Crabtree, as reported by the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, will likely start on Sunday against the Houston Texans. Crabtree has been a draft hold-out up to this point, complaining about the type of money he received as the No. 10 overall pick in last April’s draft. However, Crabtree finally decided to accept the money offered to him a couple weeks ago and is ready to play.
Mike Singletary, San Francisco’s hard-nosed coach, believes the only way Crabtree will learn what it’s like to be a NFL receiver is to play a lot of snaps and try to grasp what is going on in real-time situations.
“There are some things that you can prepare him for, but there are other things that he just has to go through and I think that this is one of them,” Singletary said, according to the Associated Press.
Nobody on the San Francisco 49ers is holding a grudge against Crabtree for skipping camp and the first quarter of the season. The players are more excited than anything. Running back Frank Gore told the AP that he felt Crabtree was one of the best college football players, and that he told Crabtree “just go out there and play football. As long as you know what you’re doing, you’ll be fine.”
Josh Morgan, whose spot Crabtree reportedly will fill in opposite other starting wide receiver Isaac Bruce, said that If Crabtree is “going to be in there, I might as well help him out so I can make sure he gets it right.”
Crabtree has been praised for his route-running ability and impressive hands, but nothing will truly be known until the game has started on Sunday.
Our Take
Singletary is playing all the right cards with Crabtree. He has to experience what the NFL is all about by playing in games, no matter what the situation calls for. Crabtree showed what he could do in college, and if he can reenact his moves and score touchdowns, nobody will remember his selfish hold-out.
