Crnkovich Raises His Stock

 

Because his team isn’t known for throwing the ball around much, Bellevue (Wa.) TE Ryan Crnkovich gets a bit overlooked as far as top playmakers at his position. However, after a solid spring on the camp circuit, the senior-to-be has shown himself to be a player on the rise who could be a real asset in the passing game at the next level.

“We’re going to throw the ball more this year, open things up a little bit, and I think some people will be surprised a little bit,” Crnkovich told Northwest Elite Index recently. “We have Tyson Penn and Isaiah Gilchrist, so they take a lot of attention, and that allows me to work in the middle of the field and I get the chance to make plays there.”

Because the Wolverines aren’t big on keeping stats, it’s unclear, at least statistically, how effective Crnkovich is as a receiving tight end. However, from watching the 6’4”, 215-pounder this spring, scouts have been able to see a fluid athlete with strong hands and that ability to get open down the field.

“I’ve been working out in the weight room a lot,” Crnkovich noted. “I want to get up to about 225/230 before the season and I’ve been working really hard at running good routes, getting separation and making plays on offense when I get the chance.”

On the recruiting front, no offers have been forthcoming, but Crnkovich has been turning some heads on the camp circuit and has drawn some looks from a handful of schools.

“So far, I’ve been talking to Hawaii, Wyoming, Northern Colorado, Portland State, Idaho and Montana a little bit,” Crnkovich noted. “I hit the Northwest Elite Camp, the Rising Stars (UW) camp, the Portland State camp and the Rough Diamonds Camp.

“I think I really improved a lot this spring and I showed a lot of coaches what I can do. Now I just need to keep things going and have a good season and hopefully some schools like me enough to offer.”

Northwest Elite Index will have more on Crnkovich in the coming months as he gets his senior season underway. Remember the name because he could be a fast riser on recruiting boards once coaches see what he can do in the passing game this fall.