| Nebraska CB Keyuo Craver was one of the best running backs ever to come
out of the state of Texas, but he enrolled in the only school that offered him a
scholarship to play defense. With his size, his best chance to make a career playing
professional football would be at cornerback. Craver’s hunch proved right as he is
rated as one of the top cornerbacks in this year’s draft. He has started every game
at cornerback the last three years, but left NFL teams questioning why he got burned in
coverage several times against Miami in the national championship game. Craver discusses
how he answered that question to NFL teams interviewing him at the NFL Scouting Combine in
Indianapolis as well as his relationship with former Husker and current Chicago Bears S
Mike Brown. Q: How does one of the great running backs in the history of Texas
football end up at cornerback?
A: That’s what everybody has been asking me. A lot of it just has to do with being
smart. I’m not exactly a big guy, NFL prototype, and I was just thinking in the long
run, every school that recruited me in Texas and all the Florida schools, they all
recruited me as a running back. And Nebraska was the only school who recruited me on
defense. And like I said, I was thinking in the long term about if I do have an
opportunity to play in the NFL, my best chance would be at defensive back. So I decided to
go to Nebraska.
Q: Did Nebraska assign you all over the field to the other team’s best
receiver?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: How big of a challenge was that?
A: Earlier in my career, it was very challenging because I had a great cornerback
opposite me, so I got a lot of action very early. The last two years of my career, I
really didn’t get too much action, but the thing about cornerback is that’s how
the game goes. Sometimes you just have to let the plays come to you. So it taught me a
lot.
Q: How many touchdowns have you given up?
A: One or two.
Q: Do you recall who they were?
A: For sure, one was against Miami, and I couldn’t even tell you the other one.
Q: What happened against Miami?
A: A lot of people have been asking me that too. (Laughter) It’s a lot better than
what happened against Colorado. (Laughter) In the Miami game, there’s no excuses. The
guy was aggressive and you take gambles and you lose sometimes and I lost.
Q: How tough was it going against Miami WR Daryl Jones?
A: He was the best receiver I faced. I’m not saying he is superior or anything
like that, but he was a very good receiver, and he taught me a lot that game. It’ll
be interesting to meet him again sometime soon.
Q: What did you measure at?
A: 5-10 1/2, 201 pounds.
Q: Do you think the Colorado game hurt your stock?
A: I really wasn’t looking at it like that. I can’t say because if you base
somebody’s career off one game, then obviously you don’t know very much about
football. So if it did, it’s probably not professional, but I don’t think it
did.
Q: What did happen in the Colorado game?
A: Man, this feels like a (team) interview. (Laugh) They just came out ready to play.
Every year we play Colorado, they always give us a great game, regardless of whether they
are 3-8 or 8-3. They always come out hard and ready to play, and our guys were kind of
banged up, especially our D-line. And they had a very strong offensive line, and they were
blowing up the holes wide open.
Q: How much pride do you take in your tackling ability?
A: A lot. At Nebraska, in our practices, that’s all we do. A lot of the time with
our offense, you’ve got to be a great tackler. You’ve got to be aggressive at
Nebraska. So if you can’t hit or make tackles, you can’t play at Nebraska, so we
pride ourselves big time on the fact that we’re going to tackle every day.
Q: Do you think that is going to give you an edge on draft boards?
A: It helps. I think any little incentive helps. And the fact that I come from a very
good football tradition at Nebraska, I think that helps out a lot too. And to be
successful — thank God that he allowed me to play all four of my years there —
you know, I think it helps out a lot.
Q: Have you talked to the Bengals and spent a good amount of time with them?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: What was your impression of their interest in you and what kind of things are
they asking?
A: I talked to (cornerbacks) coach (Kevin) Coyle and he was a very personable person.
It was more of a one-on-one thing. It wasn’t like, ‘Fill out these questions and
let me look it over and I’ll ask you a couple of questions.’ It was, ‘What
do you like to do in your free time?’ and just a conversation, so it made me feel
good just to know that he wasn’t worried about my ability as an athlete but just
wanted to get to know me as a person.
Q: Did you get a sense that the Bengals are pretty interested in you?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Did they give you any clues to what they are looking for in the first round?
A: They let it be known that was definitely a concern. They are looking for a
cornerback, so whether or not it is me, I don’t know, but they did say they were
interested.
Q: Did you tackle live during the regular season?
A: Yes, sir. At Nebraska, it’s a different story compared to these other schools
and just listening to them, how their practices and workouts go. We started the season
early, and we ended it real late. And our coaches never let up. That’s just how
it’s always been there.
Q: So on a Wednesday, are you going against a scout team offense and they are
running the plays of the opponent and everybody tackles him until he is down or what?
A: Until they blow the whistle. Like I said, we are very aggressive, so most of the
time, they would blow the whistle earlier. If they didn’t, then we would be making
them pay for it.
Q: Did guys get hurt in practice at Nebraska?
A: Yeah, just like anywhere.
Q: Can you hit your quarterback?
A: We can’t hit our quarterbacks, but we do anyways. Black shirts, we didn’t
hit Eric (Crouch) because Eric is the man, and that’s our boy, but anybody else that
had a green jersey on, they would still get hit.
Q: If it weren’t for the NFL, but just to play football, would you still be a
running back?
A: I don’t know. I couldn’t even answer that. I love offense, but I got tired
of taking a beating in high school. Getting 2,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in a season,
that was a blessing, but at the same time, a lot came with it. I just thought it was time
for me to start delivering some punishment.
Q: Did you ever pay any attention to former Husker and current Packers CB Tyrone
Williams?
A: A lot.
Q: Do you know him at all?
A: I’ve met him a couple of times, but I’ve never sat down and talked to him.
Q: How does your style compare to him?
A: Some people have actually compared me to him a lot. I think he is a great player,
obviously, for him to be in the league and to excel. That shows that he is a great player,
not just at the college level, but also in the NFL. And to be compared to anybody at the
NFL level is a tremendous honor.
Q: What corners did you look up to and admire?
A: I really didn’t get into cornerbacks a lot until I was in college. So my role
model when I was in college — I played with him, (Chicago Bears S) Mike Brown. Just
his intensity level. The way that he practiced, he never gives up. He approaches practices
like games. Him, (Washington CB) Darrell Green, of course, (former Cowboys CB) Deion
Sanders, the obvious ones. There are a lot of great players out there, but as far as just
watching somebody and studying that person, I would have to say Mike Brown.
Q: What running backs did you admire in high school?
A: I have always said the greatest football player to ever play football but who
doesn’t get credit for it is Bo Jackson. That’s somebody I have looked up to
since I was in fourth grade.
Q: Why was Bo Jackson your favorite player growing up?
A: He was a beast among men. He was killing everybody. Just his whole persona, the way
he carried himself. It wasn’t like he was trying to make friends, but he wasn’t
trying to make enemies either. So I think he was just going out there, doing his job and
enjoying it.
Q: So is your grasp of the game as good as Mike Brown’s?
A: You know I have a long way to go before I can even say I am in the same world as
Mike. He is one of those guys who studies the game. He is just a natural leader. His
intensity level. That is just something you can’t really match. Some people come with
athletic ability, and some come with his whole focus and mentality. I haven’t met a
lot of players like that.
Q: How much have you talked to him in the last year?
A: That’s my boy. We talk, probably, once a week.
Q: What kind of advice has he given you?
A: I couldn’t even tell you where to start, but the main thing is just not to
worry about things too much. Being a defensive back, one thing that he has taught me is
that you just have to have a bad memory because if you worry about one play too much, you
end up screwing up again. So I think that is just one thing I am trying to do with this
— just not to worry about it so much. Of course it is a concern and we are talking
about how you are going to live the rest of your life, but at the same time, it’s
something that I enjoy doing.
Q: What did he tell you to do in overtime games — watch for the tipped ball?
A: (Laughs) Yeah, exactly. I give him a hard time about that, but he is a great player
and good things come to great players like that.
Q: Will good things come to you?
A: I hope so. I hope so.
Q: Have you ever had any bad injuries?
A: I’ve never missed a game in college. I’ve never had surgery.
Q: Do you have any stories that could reveal anything about your character and
personality?
A: I’m a laidback guy. I take everything in stride. I don’t make a big thing
about anything. I just kind of take it how it comes.
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