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."