Linebacker may have been a somewhat under-the-radar position of great need for Arizona State in this 2024 class. The addition of Arkansas linebacker transfer Jordan Crook is one significant step in handling this role.
The connection with the Sun Devils was a strong one since the linebacker prepped at Duncanville (Tex.) High School, whose head coach, whose head coach Reginald Samples is the father of ASU WR's coach Rashaad Samples.
“When I came out to visit Arizona State, I had a good idea that I would be committing there,” Crook said. “Coach Samples contacted me, like half an hour after I entered the portal. I put a lot of trust in him, and he’s not just a coach but also a big brother to me. So, knowing him over the years, doing what I did at Duncanville with his dad being my head coach…I know he will have my back. It’s gonna be exciting playing for this team with Coach Samples.
“That’s why I shut everything down, and I’m going to play there.”
Other aspects that influenced Crook’s decision were the message he heard from the players he interacted with, as well as the opportunity to play many games in or near the Lone Star state.
“I love the opportunity that this team has and its culture,” Crook explained. “Everybody in the building had the same message, and that is that if you come in here and work hard, you’ll get what you deserve. That is what stood out to me the most, and that was just exciting to know.
“Arizona State playing in the Big 12, that’s a league I know I can excel in. I like being able to still play some games in the South, having my family be there and see me play; that definitely had a lot to do with my decision.”
Another aspect of comfort with ASU was his interaction with linebackers coach AJ Cooper and the expectations that he had laid out for him.
“He likes my football IQ,” Crook remarked, “my leadership ability, the ability to run around for four quarters and make plays. This feels like this is a good defense and really a defense that is somewhat similar to what I played last year. What I like most about it is playing downhill, and you just go out there and play fast.
That’s why it’s a good fit for me.”
Crook played 25 games in his two seasons with the Razorbacks and did start two contests over that time period. He entered the portal with 40 career total tackles, 1.5 tackles for-a-loss, a forced fumble, and a sack. Kansas, SMU, UCF, and Memphis were some of the other schools that pursued the linebacker.
Arizona State lost one of its starters, Tre Brown, due to exhaustion of eligibility and had only four scholarship players returning from the 2023 roster. Crook stands a good chance to start alongside returning starter and sophomore Tate Romney. Senior Caleb McCullough, junior Krew Jackson, and redshirt freshman K'Vion Thunderbird round out the depth chart, and Martell Huges is an incoming freshman. The Sun Devil staff will look to add two linebackers out of the portal for an adequate depth chart for this role.
Crook will arrive to Tempe with two years of eligibility plus a redshirt year.
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