Hall of Fame
Position: Wide Receiver
Years: 2007-2008
Place of Birth: Dallas, TX
Date of Birth: Sept. 14, 1987
Jersey Number: 5
Height: 6-3
Weight: 205
High School: Carter HS (Dallas, TX)
The first two-time winner of the Biletnikoff Award, Michael Crabtree was one of the most electric wide receivers in college football history. The Dallas native becomes the sixth Red Raider player in the College Football Hall of Fame.
The only two-time unanimous First Team All-American (2007, 2008) in Texas Tech history, Crabtree finished fifth in the 2008 Heisman Trophy voting. The 2007 Freshman All-American burst onto the scene by setting still-standing freshman single-season FBS records for receiving yards (1,962), receptions (134), receiving yards per game (150.9), touchdown receptions (22), receptions per game (10.3) and 100-yard receiving games (11). Crabtree still ranks in the top 15 all-time in nine FBS receiving categories, with his 1,962 receiving yards in 2007 currently third in FBS single-season history. A two-time recipient of the Paul Warfield Award, Crabtree was named CBSSports.com's National Freshman of the Year and the AT&T All-America Player of the Year in 2007.
A two-time First Team All-Big 12 selection, Crabtree was named the Big 12 Co-Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2007. Despite playing just two seasons, he remains Texas Tech's all-time leader with 41 career receiving touchdowns and 15 career 100-yard receiving games while ranking second with 3,127 career receiving yards. His 1,962 receiving yards and 134 receptions in 2007 are both Big 12 and Red Raider records, and he owns the top two single-season receiving touchdown marks in school history (22 in 2007, 19 in 2008). The 2007 Texas Tech team MVP owns nearly every freshman receiving record in the Big 12 and Red Raider record books. In 2008, Crabtree led Texas Tech to a share of the Big 12 South Division title, an 11-2 record and the No. 12 final ranking. His highlight moment came against Texas that season, in which he hauled in the game-winning 28-yard touchdown with one second remaining to shock No. 1 Texas. Crabtree led the Red Raiders to two bowl games, including a win in the 2008 Gator Bowl. The 2020 Texas Tech Hall of Fame inductee was named to the school's Football Ring of Honor in 2021.
The 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, Crabtree played 11 seasons with the 49ers (2009-14), Oakland Raiders (2015-17), Baltimore Ravens (2018) and Arizona Cardinals (2019).
Off the field, he established the Crab5 Foundation, which hosts numerous events each year for underprivileged youth. Crabtree also fully endowed a scholarship at Texas Tech in 2019.