Michael Crabtree Will Miss Those Saturday Night Lights

NEW YORK -- He doesn't want to talk about his foot, really. He's been asked about it so much that he can feel the question coming, and he heads it off with a tsk, a shake of the head and a practiced response.

"I've got a brand-new set of wheels, man," Michael Crabtree said Thursday night. "That's the way I look at it."

The Texas Tech receiver, a likely top-10 pick in this weekend's NFL draft, was making the interview rounds at the premiere party for EA Sports' NCAA Football 10 video game. (He's on the cover of the Xbox 360 version.) He's looking forward to finally finding out which team he's going to, and the stress fracture in his foot is healed, thank you very much, and he's not real keen on talking about it.

What he does like talking about is college football. Which is something he's going to miss.

"Oh, yeah, I'm going to miss it," Crabtree said. "There's nothing like college football. The crowds, the rivalries, the fans that love you whether you win or lose. There's nothing like it anywhere."

Yes, you're reading that right. A young man on the verge of a multi-million-dollar contract with some NFL team is wistful, thinking about the life he leaves behind.

"It was a real hard decision for me, whether to come out and enter the draft, and that's the reason why," Crabtree said. "It's hard to leave college."

Looking around the room, he saw no fewer than three other Big 12 players in town for the draft. Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo, who told everybody he's still upset about "that catch" Crabtree made to beat the Longhorns last year. Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman, a giant with a cannon for an arm. Baylor tackle Jason Smith, who could be the first or second player taken Saturday.

The crowd was a reminder of the kind of season 2008 was in the Big 12, when ABC's Saturday night game seemed to feature a pivotal conference matchup every week. Crabtree thinks the intensity and importance of those games is going to help the players who played in them, himself included, make the transition to the pros.

"So much expectation every week," Crabtree said. "It's like a rivalry every game. Pressure. Packed houses, under the lights. We had fun."

They had success, too, he is reminded. Texas Tech had a brilliant season with Crabtree catching passes from Graham Harrell. But Crabtree winces when you say that. The season wasn't as good as he'd hoped it would be.

"My goal was not to lose a game," he said. "And we got pretty close. Unfortunately, we ran into OU."

Tech was 10-0 and ranked second in the country when they traveled to play No. 5 Oklahoma on Nov. 22, and the smokin-hot Sooners whipped the Red Raiders 65-21, ending Crabtree's dreams of an undefeated season and national title. Six weeks later, Crabtree lost his final college game to Mississippi in the Cotton Bowl.

But while it may not have ended the way he'd have liked, that college career remains a standout memory for Crabtree, especially as he embarks on a new life as a professional. From now on, if he plays poorly, his home fans will likely boo him. Unless he drops way, way down the first round, his 2009 team is likely not going to be a contender, playing for something every single week. Things are going to be different, and Crabtree already feels it.

"This is going to be a job," he said. "It's going to be different. When I was in college, my job was student-athlete. College student. You can't beat that. It's never going to be like that again."

No, it's not. He's right. It just feels a little weird, doesn't it? Everybody's so excited about the draft, you don't even think about what these kids are leaving behind. Rarely do you hear an athlete in Crabtree's situation talk like this. But it must be something they all feel, to some extent. Their lives are changing. Letting go of your youth can leave part of you melancholy even as the rest of you is excited.

It's a little bit sad, but it's also kind of nice to find out that a guy like Crabtree appreciates what he had, and what he's going to miss.