Elijah Crawford: Three Thoughts About Stanford's Latest Commitment

Stanford got their first commitment of the 2024 class on Saturday when three-star guard Elijah Crawford committed to the Cardinal. 

This comes behind a three-man 2023 class that finished No. 33 in the On3 Team Ranking after signing four-star SG Andrej Stojakovic, four-star SG Kanaan Carlyle, and three-star center Aidan Cammann. 

Let’s discuss what getting Elijah Crawford means for Stanford. 

Who is Elijah Crawford?

Elijah Crawford is the No. 116 overall player in the 2024 On3 150, and the No. 22 ranked point guard in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking. The final schools on his list included LSU, South Carolina, Mississippi State, UCF, and Georgia. 

Crawford played at Greenville (SC) Legacy Early College on the NIBC last season. The 6-foot-2 guard transferred to play his senior year at Wolfeboro (NH) Brewster Academy. 

What does he bring to Stanford?

Elijah Crawford is a sturdily built lead guard. A 6-foot-2 and 185-pound, he plays with good balance and is able to absorb contact in the paint.

Crawford is confident on the ball, and he is at his best in the mid-range. He is capable of getting into dangerous areas of the floor and making plays. Crawford is a threat to rise up and score, while also distributing to teammates. 

In his time in high school, he has gotten shot happy at times. Stopping the ball and the flow of the offense. You like the confidence he shows in scoring the ball, as well as the touch. Crawford will need to stay on top of his conditioning. He has upside as an on-ball defender, as long as he stays locked in on that end of the floor. 

When he finds his rhythm and is not overthinking things, he plays with a nice flow. Able to toggle between scorer and distributor. That is something that he will continue to hone. Crawford jumped from private school ball to the NIBC last season, the game was played faster. This will be his second year on the NIBC, so expect the continued growth and his comfort making plays. 

Crawford has a nice upside with natural competitive tools.

How does Crawford fit in the lineup?

Elijah Crawford is the first commitment in Stanford’s 2024 class. The Cardinal have three seniors on their roster, two of whom are guards. Stanford’s three-man 2023 recruiting class included two off-the-ball guards and a center. They also have a redshirt freshman forward in 6-foot-8 Jaylen Thompson. 

Simply looking at the roster, it appears that the opportunity is there for a lead guard to step into some minutes. Not knowing what Stanford will do in the transfer portal, how quickly Crawford gets up to the speed of play and gets into the playbook should play a role in his minutes distribution as well. 

Crawford talks Stanford

“I love Stanford,” Crawford told On3. “Not only will I be able to shine and do my thing on the court but I’ll also be able to shine off the court, in the game called life. Going to Stanford is something that requires hard work and I’m here for it!”