Former Arizona receiver Gino Crump will play in Monday’s Casino del Sol College All Star Game, making him the sixth former Wildcat to be named to the roster.
Crump joins defensive ends Mohammed Usman and C.J. Parish, safety Rob Golden, and linebackers Paul Vassallo and Derek Earls in the game, which showcases 90 players to NFL scouts and fans in addition to being broadcast live by Fox Sports Arizona.
Crump had a breakout senior season at Arizona, catching 65 passes for 610 yards and two touchdowns. He has prototypical size for an NFL receiver, standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 210 pounds.
But Crump wasn’t productive on the field until the 2011 season. He caught just four passes before this season after starting his college career at West Virginia before walking on to the Arizona program in August 2009.
The Washington, D.C., native was likely Arizona’s most surprising player in 2011. His spectacular 33-yard catch-and-run against ASU brought the game within one score before Juron Criner pulled off a similar play to put Arizona ahead for good.
Golden’s versatility will likely help him in the eyes of NFL teams. He started in Arizona’s secondary for three seasons — two at safety and one at cornerback.
Both Earls and Vassallo were productive after transferring to Arizona from junior colleges before the 2010 season. Both also have ideal size for NFL linebackers, listed at 6-foot-3, 247-pounds each.
Usman and Parrish had underwhelming senior seasons after a strong fall camp. Both are undersized speed rushers and combined for four sacks in 2011.
Arizona’s defense as a whole underperformed for most of the 2011 season, ranking toward the bottom of every major statistical category, despite having a number of players who will get looks from NFL teams.