As a dual-sport athlete with tremendous footwork and length, Dametrious Crownover didn't envision his pro dreams falling into the offensive line, but he just kept on growing.
Crownover's expertise on the football field began as an edge rusher under former Grandview High School Head Coach Brad Davis in Grandview, Tx.
Davis, along with Crownover himself, thought of him as more of a basketball player. With dreams of an NBA career, Crownover spent many summers in the Amateur Athletic Union Basketball League (AAU), even helping his team secure the 2019 16U Adidas Gauntlet Championship in Los Angeles.
"I played a lot of basketball growing up; it was my first love," said Crownover in his post-draft press conference.
That all changed when he began to make an extreme impact on Grandview's football field during his sophomore year.
At 6'6 and 235 pounds, he was quickly thrust into starting on both sides of the ball at defensive end and tight end. Grandview went 16-2 and won the 2018 Class 3A State Championship.
In the championship, Crownover was entrusted with a crucial fourth-down play to put the Zebras up two scores.
His 15-yard receiving touchdown would become the play that secured Grandview's first-ever state title and a spot on A&M's radar.
"He was a pivotal part of our team," said Davis. "His hands and his feet, for such a big kid, are probably as good as anybody. He was tall, and he was strong. He could really get after the quarterback, and people had trouble blocking him because of his footwork."
By the time he arrived at College Station, though, everything began to change for Crownover.
Originally recruited as the 19th-ranked tight end in his class, his stature and range excited coaches at Texas A&M to explore his athletic upside and moldability on the field.
After being red-shirted his freshman year, Crownover began to outgrow the makeup of the common tight end as he transformed into a 6'7, 336-pound powerhouse. Along with his strong hands, quick feet, and lengthy wingspan, the Aggies thought he'd thrive in a pass-protecting role.
Texas A&M offensive line coach Adam Cushing arrived at the Aggies football program in January of 2024 ahead of Crownover's redshirt junior year. Up to then, Crownover's college career had amounted to a couple of starts, mostly serving as a reserve right tackle as he continued to figure out the position he'd never played before.
As the leaves began to change and fall camp grew closer, Crownover felt a stir within him to become more. He and Cushing sat in his office as Crownover shared his desire to fully dedicate himself to understanding the offensive line.
"I don't know what I'm doing, and I need to know everything," Crownover said to Cushing.
For the entirety of fall camp, Cushing said, Crownover turned into a completely different animal. He spent most of his time in the weight room, asking the right questions, and immersing himself in becoming a durable and reliable force on the line.
"He came in and just started dedicating himself as a full-time football player, and kind of grew into the position," said Cushing.
His hard work paid off after winning the position battle and becoming the Aggies' starting right tackle for the next two years, helping them become one of the best rushing attacks and pass protection lines in the country, something Cushing said was a privilege to watch and an honor to be part of.
"When a young person is that self-aware, able to humble himself, and just wants to go to work - that's why he made such enormous strides," said Cushing. "It's one of my favorite success stories of all time."
No stranger to competition, Crownover is heading to a Patriots offensive line room always looking to improve. He'll face yet another challenge in his pro dream journey but he'll lean on his incredible twitch, athletic IQ, and desire to reach his full potential.
"He's very strong mentally, so he wants competition, he wants to play against the best," said Cushing. "He understands what it takes to be great, that you have to give everything all the time."
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