ALAMEDA, Calif. – The Oakland Raiders have signed free agent RB Isaiah Crowell, the club announced Thursday.
Crowell joins the Raiders after stints with the New York Jets (2018) and Cleveland Browns (2014-17). Over his five-year career, Crowell enters his first campaign with the Silver and Black having appeared in 77 contests with 51 starts, totaling 3,803 rushing yards on 880 attempts (4.3 avg.) while adding 27 scores on the ground. Additionally, he has hauled in 117 passes for 922 yards (7.9 avg.) and one receiving touchdown.
In his lone season with the Jets, Crowell appeared in 13 contests and made six starts, compiling 685 rushing yards on 143 carries (4.8 avg.) and six rushing touchdowns. Among players with at least 125 carries in 2018, Crowell's 4.8 average yards per rush ranked 11th in the NFL. He also added 21 receptions for 152 yards.
Originally an undrafted free agent out of Alabama State, the 5-foot-11, 225-pound running back spent his first four seasons with the Browns, appearing in all 64 contests with the club during his time there. In 2016, he started all 16 games for the first time in his career and surpassed 1,000 scrimmage yards for the first time as well. He also set a career high with 952 rushing yards while adding four 100-yard outings in addition to seven scores on the ground. In just four starts as a rookie in 2014, Crowell managed to rush for a career-high eight touchdowns, the second-most among rookie rushers that season.
A native of Columbus, Ga., Crowell finished fifth in Hornets history in points scored (160), while finishing sixth in yards (1,963) after just two seasons (2012-13) with the school. As a senior in 2013, he helped the Hornets to the SWAC's No. 1 ranked rushing attack, finishing second individually with 1,121 yards of his own while adding 15 touchdowns on the ground. He was named SWAC Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore after posting 842 yards and another 15 scores. Before transferring to Alabama State in 2011, he was named the SEC Freshman of the Year by the Associated Press with the Georgia Bulldogs after leading the team with 850 yards rushing and five touchdowns.
