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HBCU Star, NFL Record Breaker Earns Hall of Fame Honor
Isaiah Crowell's football journey hasn't been easy, but it's always been electrifying. Now, the Columbus, Georgia native and former NFL record breaker and HBCU standout is receiving one of the most prestigious honors in his home state-a spot in the Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame.
Crowell, a dominant force out of Carver High School, will be among 33 inductees honored at the 2025 GHSFHOF induction ceremony on October 25 at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. It's a full-circle moment for a player once ranked as the nation's No. 1 high school running back.
At Carver, Crowell was a nightmare for defenses. As a junior, he racked up 1,915 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns on 185 carries. He followed that with 1,721 yards and 18 scores in his senior season. All part of a monster high school career that saw him total 4,872 rushing yards. The awards piled up. AJC All-Classifications Player of the Year, GACA North Georgia Player of the Year, and AJC Super 11 - to name a few.
He signed with the University of Georgia in 2011 and didn't waste time making an impact, rushing for 856 yards and earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors. But legal trouble that summer cut his time in Athens short.
Crowell transferred to Alabama State, an HBCU that gave him a second shot - and he made the most of it. Under head coach Reggie Barlow, he put up 1,964 yards and 30 touchdowns in two seasons, showing flashes of the brilliance that made him a blue-chip recruit.
"I was given a second chance by a lot of people, and I took advantage of it," Crowell said in a 2021 interview with the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. "When my son was born, I was like, 'I want to be successful.' It was a turning point."
Despite those big numbers, Crowell went undrafted in 2014 - a crushing blow that brought him to tears. But the Cleveland Browns came calling, and his NFL dream was back on.
Crowell signed a three-year deal with Cleveland and proved he belonged. As a rookie, he ranked second in rushing touchdowns (8) and fifth in rushing yards (607) among all first-year players. By 2016, he was hitting his stride with 952 rushing yards, the best season of his pro career.
His production earned him a three-year, $12 million deal with the New York Jets in 2018. He made headlines early for his electric play and a controversial touchdown celebration in a nationally televised return to Cleveland. Fined but unbothered, Crowell ran for 219 yards against the Broncos. Setting a franchise single-game record and the NFL's all-time mark for most yards per carry in a game (14.33) with at least 15 attempts.
Crowell's NFL career was ultimately cut short by injury-an Achilles tear in 2019 with the Oakland Raiders-but he says he has no regrets.
"I know I really accomplished my dream, and I really stood out," he said. "The hard work paid off."
Now focused on family, business, and charity, Crowell continues to give back to the Columbus community. His Feed the Crow Foundation hosts annual Thanksgiving events, donates meals to the homeless, and provides free youth football camps.
The Georgia High School Football Hall of Fame selection committee didn't shy away from Isaiah Crowell's past - they embraced his total story. His high school dominance, HBCU resurgence, NFL impact, and community outreach made him a well-rounded, worthy inductee.
"He was explosive,he was electric, he was powerful. He had a great head for the game," said DJ Jones, a fellow Carver alum and former NFL defensive back. "When you consider what he has done, the strides he's made … that made an impact."
From a five-star phenom to an HBCU success story to an NFL standout - and now, a Hall of Famer - Isaiah Crowell's legacy in Georgia football is secure.
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