Some student athletes have to go across the country to play football. Some players leave school because of home sickness and choose to transfer to a school closer to their hometown. Rafiyq Cromwell, a Pittsburgh native, doesn’t have that problem. He plays cornerback for the Mercyhurst Lakers in Erie, Pennsylvania, just two hours north of Pittsburgh.
“Playing close to Pittsburgh means a lot to me,” Cromwell said, “I can still bring my hometown swag to the game. Being close to Pittsburgh gives people a chance to see my path of chasing my dreams and being close to my family.”
Cromwell’s path isn’t the usual one. Coming out of high school, he was considered undersized to play cornerback. On top of that, his test scores were below par and he lost many looks because of that. It only motivated him to work hard and to one day get back into football.
“I went to CCAC (Community College of Allegheny County) for three years, while working two jobs and working with trainers to keep me in shape for football,” Cromwell remembers.
Some of the offers that he didn’t qualify for included Robert Morris and St. Francis. He was also being offered chances to walk on as a preferred walk-on with schools like West Virginia, Louisville, and Duke. Cromwell, though, wouldn’t see those schools. But his hard work eventually paid off as another school on his list was still interested in him after his test scores were up to par.
Mercyhurst.
“I got offered by Mercyhurst in high school,” Cromwell stated, “When I heard they were still interested in me, I felt right at home.”
Football is one of those things that runs through his blood, and it runs through the blood of his cousin who plays football at one of the schools Cromwell was considering.
Will Clarke, a senior defensive end at West Virginia, is a huge inspiration on Cromwell, and not just because they’re related.
“Having a cousin like Will is special. We always vibe with each other about stuff other than football and we have the same grind mentality,” Cromwell said reminiscing about his relationship with Clarke.
Clarke, also a Pittsburgh native, and Cromwell played against each other in high school and have been pushing each other since day one.
“We are real close and support each other every step of the way and make sure we are both on the right path.”
Other than his cousin, Cromwell attributes a big part of his game to legendary cornerback Deion Sanders.
“He played with swag and cockiness, but as a DB that’s how you have to play,” Cromwell said, “His work ethic is impeccable and one day I just hope to be able to be seen in the same light as him in some kids eyes.”
With that mentality, Cromwell hopes to break the single season record for interceptions in 2013. For him, 2013 is all about making a name for himself and realizing his dreams of going to the NFL.
Some might say that’s a lofty goal, but for a player whose Twitter handle is @NFLdreams, it isn’t.
“My goals for football is to be one of the greatest to ever play. By the grace of God if I make my way to the NFL that I can be that player that people expected to be at a big time school.”
Cromwell is out to prove the big schools who said that was undersized wrong. He lives his life with that same “grind mentality” of his cousin at one of those big schools, and has vowed to not let anything hold him back.
“In my eyes in order to be great you have to grow unfamiliar with limitations.”
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