The post-season accolades may be few and far between for Oregon State’s football program, after a trying 4-8 season, but there's reason to believe that the future may be bright in Corvallis with a bevy of talented young returners expected to contribute in the 2017 campaign. Headlining those returning talents on the defensive side of things is cornerback Xavier Crawford, who on Monday was named to the USA Today Freshman All-American team, alongside other rookie notables such as Jalen Hurts (QB - Alabama) and Ed Oliver (DL - Houston).
Crawford was one of the two cornerbacks selected for the team (Appalachian State’s Clifton Duck), which comprises the best individual freshman talent on a national scale.