Baylor’s old-school tackling machine with a nose for the football
Justin Crooks was a high-volume, instinctive linebacker for Baylor, and in the 2004 season he logged 87 tackles, including 52 solo stops, plus 2 sacks and a fumble return touchdown—numbers that scream activity and disruption[11]. Baylor also highlighted him in 2004 for a 16-game streak of four-plus tackles and a 14-of-15 stretch with five-plus tackles, which points to a dependable, motor-heavy defender who shows up snap after snap[7]. If you want a linebacker who plays with urgency, production, and a knack for forcing mistakes, Crooks is the kind of worker-bee defender coaches love; if you want flash, he’s more “steady nightmare” than “highlight reel.”[7][11]
