‘Random Call From Alabama’ LEads To Pair Of Commitments For UAB

By Steve Irvine

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - January 30, 2024

UAB football coaches went to unfamiliar territory - Delaware – to add a couple of more pieces to the 2025 recruiting class.

Defensive end James Steel and defensive back Josiah Crawford, who are back-to-back state championship teammates at Caravel Academy in Bear, Delaware, recently pledged to join the UAB football program. Steel will be part of the incoming scholarship class while Crawford will begin his college career as a walk-on.

Steel said their journey toward calling Birmingham home began with an unexpected phone call.

“I just got a random call from Alabama one day,” said Steel. “It wasn't like, I was looking for Deep South places because no Deep South places were recruiting me.”

His knowledge of UAB at that point didn’t travel very deep.

“I knew Trent Dilfer was the coach and then I watch Last Chance U, the Netflix series, and I knew that DJ Law went there for a little bit,” Steel said.

It didn’t take long for him to learn more.

“They wanted me to come visit and everything like that,” Steel said. “What really stuck out to me was the NFL, you know, the NFL exposure that I would get. So that's what really stuck out to me and also the weather. I wanted to go somewhere nice and weather, because I mean, right now it's like averaging 10 degrees. I wanna go somewhere where football's super important, so we stayed in touch. Then I said I had a teammate who's looking for a home. I was like, you should check this kid out.”

Steel and Crawford took a visit to UAB last weekend. 

“There's a lot of things that they have that I wanted to have,” Crawford said. “The atmosphere was just great around there. It's really a pro football atmosphere. The coaches really handle everything like it's pro football, like really being in the NFL. That's one thing I really appreciated. And the facilities are nice. Everything down there, they take good care of the players, always had us eat good, so that's what really stood out to me.”  

UAB is getting a pair of players accustomed to winning. Caravel Academy claimed the Class 2A state championship the past two years, finishing 13-0 each season. The 2024 team outscored their opponents, 534-57, with no opposing team scoring more than 13 points. The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Steel was selected Delaware’s Defensive Player of the Year in each of the past two seasons. He also excelled on the offensive side at tight end and got some carries.

“James is a physical, aggressive player,” Crawford said. “He's very twitchy off the ball. Most guys, you're not going to see this ball off the ball, he’s just fires off the ball. That’s how he gets to the quarterback faster and makes plays. His film is crazy.”

Steel, who had nearly a dozen offers, said his film had some mixed reviews from college coaches.

“I had coaches tell me that my film was too violent, which was crazy,” said Steel, who originally committed to Towson before his junior season but reopened his recruitment after getting more attention.  “They were saying I was out of control and stuff like that. I mean, me and my dad were like ‘What?’ Coach Dilfer seems to love it. That's what he loved most about it. Yeah, every time I step on a field, I want to impose my will basically.”

He also comes by that approach naturally. His father is a former junior college All-American, who went on to stand out at Gardner Webb at defensive tackle. His mom played college basketball at the University of Pennsylvania, where Steel said he led the country in rebounds.

“We're just a very physical family,” Steel said. “We love the UFC, we love combat sports. I think of football as a combat sport. I know now it might be getting a little softer with the new rules and stuff, but I still see it that way.”

 The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Crawford played receiver and cornerback in high school. He was an all-state cornerback as a senior. He said the UAB coaches recruited him as a defensive back with the ability to play at any spot in the secondary. He added that the UAB coaches consider him a scholarship level player but did not have an available scholarship at this point for his position.

“He came a long way in high school,” Steel said. “He blew up this last season. He just really has a knack for playing the ball, like interceptions are his thing. He has really good hands for a DB. Some DBs became DBs because their hands weren't as good, but his hands are just as good as receivers.”

Crawford said coming to UAB gives both Steel and himself a chance to showcase themselves.

“In Delaware, you're gonna see a few guys at each school that can really ball,” Crawford said. “But, other than that, it’s not the highest level football. It’s not like Florida football, Texas football. I feel like a lot of people think certain places have better athletes (but) there’s talent everywhere. We can’t help that we were born in Delaware or live in Delaware. There is still talent coming out of here and we’re about to show it.”