Kent State’s Dustin Crum could star in NFL after MAC cancellation

Dustin Crum might go straight to the NFL.

While no one will mistake the MAC for the SEC anytime soon, the conference routinely holds some of the more interesting players in college football and unheralded draft prospects that become stars in the NFL.

Prospective pro teams will be unable to scout the conference’s best in 2020, as the loss of money brought on by canceling games with Power 5 teams forced the MAC to become the first D-I conference to cancel their season.

In a draft cycle that is propping up an FCS redshirt sophomore in North Dakota State’s Trey Lance as a first-round talent, the MAC is also home to one of the draft’s more talented sleeper prospects that could shoot up draft boards. While he isn’t on the radar of most casual fans right now, don’t be surprised Kent State Golden Flashes quarterback Dustin Crum is picked high in the draft in 2021.

Dustin Crum’s arm strength and athleticism are excellent.

Crum is a much better fit for Flashes head coach and former Syracuse OC Sean Lewis’ offense when compared to Woody Barrett. Crum completed 69 percent of his passes while throwing for 20 touchdowns and two interceptions. He added 707 yards and six touchdowns as a runner.

The first thing that is immediately apparent upon a cursory examination of his film is his accuracy down the field. Per PFF, the only qualified quarterback in college football that had a higher percentage of accurate passes was LSU’s Joe Burrow. In case you live under a rock, Burrow had the greatest statistical season a college quarterback has ever had, won a championship, and was picked No. 1 overall.

Crum averaged 8.4 yards per attempt last season, a sign of his willingness to chuck it deep down the field. Even though Crum is a bit on the skinny side at just over 200 pounds, the arm talent was on display as soon as he was confirmed as the starter. Another season as the starter in Kent would have done wonders for his stock.

Dustin Crum showed how good he can be when he beat Jordan Love.

In the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl, Kent State surrendered 41 points as Utah State quarterback and eventual first-round pick Jordan Love carved up their porous secondary. Against all odds, Crum outperformed Love and scored 51 points. Crum completed 21 of his 26 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns while running for 147 yards and a touchdown.

Even against a vastly superior Auburn team, Crum completed 15 of 24 passes for nearly 200 yards without throwing a pick, a sign that he can turn it on against premier competition. His 62-point destruction of Bowling Green was the first time he showed that his ability to deliver the ball with touch to all three levels of the field.

Crum has plenty to work on, as he needs to add a lot of weight, work on working through progressions, and staying in the pocket. Having said that, his arm talent is electric, and that paired with unparalleled accuracy on the move and playmaking ability out of structure could get him a Senior Bowl invite and a high draft pick.