Nick Cross: Indianapolis Colts Rookie Files

For some mother and father, it may be a troublesome determination whether or not or to not let their youngsters play soccer.

Soccer is a harmful sport. It’s no secret that the majority soccer gamers will endure some type of damage all through their enjoying days. Whereas the sport has turn into safer through the years, the chance is all the time there.

That call could be an essential one. There are younger gamers throughout the nation who’ve the expertise to make it to the following degree however don’t get the chance as a result of they aren’t allowed to play the sport.

For an Indianapolis Colts rookie, it took some convincing for his mother and father to let him play the sport. However as soon as he was allowed to play, his life was by no means the identical.

That is “Rookie Recordsdata,” a sequence on Horseshoe Huddle that provides you the backstory of each rookie for the Colts. Going participant by participant, we take a look at their journeys to the NFL and what makes each distinctive whereas additionally detailing how they assist the Colts. Subsequent is Nick Cross, who by no means seemed again as soon as he had the chance to play the sport he liked.

‘Yeah, You Can Lastly Play’

Cross was born on September 10, 2001, in Bowie, Maryland, to Michael and Anna Cross. Each of Cross’s mother and father are immigrants to the US and maintain high-profile jobs. Michael is a pc software program engineer who emigrated from Jamaica, whereas Anna is a pharmacist who emigrated from Trinidad and Tobago.

Cross attended Ascension Lutheran College and later St. Jerome Academy rising up. He was enthusiastic about sports activities from a really younger age, enjoying T-Ball, basketball, and soccer. Cross was even probably the greatest basketball gamers on his crew rising up.

When it got here to the sport of soccer, Cross was restricted in what he might do. He performed along with his associates throughout recess and in PE class, however by no means in an organized method. Despite the fact that he was often larger and extra developed athletically than his classmates, being on a soccer crew was by no means an choice.

Michael and Anna had some reservations in regards to the recreation of soccer. It was far more harmful than the opposite sports activities that Cross had been taking part in, and so they have been not sure in the event that they wished their son in that scenario.

However Cross didn’t cease pushing his mother and father about enjoying. He had already developed a ardour for the sport simply by enjoying along with his associates at recess. Cross would even depart an area soccer crew’s web page up on his dad’s laptop so his father would see it the following time he logged on.

His persistence lastly paid off, and simply earlier than he began highschool, Cross acquired the inexperienced gentle.

“We’d discuss it yearly,” Cross recalled through the Hyattsville Life & Instances. “‘Perhaps this 12 months,’ (his dad would say.) Typically it could be disappointing. After which lastly (as I used to be about to) go to highschool, he was like, ‘Yeah, you may lastly play.’ So, I used to be actually excited.”

Cross attended DeMatha Catholic Excessive College in Hyattsville, Maryland. This may be the place he would step onto the follow discipline for the primary time, and the place his soccer journey would lastly start.

An All-American

Cross began his soccer profession as a linebacker and defensive finish at DeMatha on the freshman crew. As he was getting his ft moist and studying the sport, coaches described his recreation as “inflexible.” Cross was attempting to play the sport and course of all the things on the identical time. Nevertheless it didn’t take lengthy for Cross to catch on.

By his sophomore season at DeMatha, Cross had turn into a backup defensive again and particular groups participant on varsity for head coach Elijah Brooks, who’s now the operating backs coach for the College of Maryland. He acquired a giant alternative when he entered the beginning lineup for DeMatha for the WCAC championship recreation.

Cross got here up with an enormous play, leaping on a kickoff on the 1-yard line that led to a landing two performs later. From there, Cross had arrived.

He entered the beginning lineup for good initially of his junior season. Cross started to make severe noise, incomes First-Workforce All-WCAC honors. Cross was feared for his blanket protection and hard-hitting capacity as a defensive again.

The wonderful play continued into his senior season. Cross ended his senior 12 months with 94 tackles and 4 interceptions. He earned First-Workforce All WCAC, was a First-Workforce Washington Submit All-Metro choice, and was named a US Military All-American. In simply 4 brief years, Cross had gone from a child who had by no means performed organized soccer to an All-American.

Cross’s play on the sector, mixed with a 3.6 GPA and expertise for taking part in the saxophone, had schools from everywhere in the nation pleading with him to attend their faculty. Cross was a four-star recruit and the consensus top-ranked participant in Maryland. Alabama, Auburn, Stanford, and Florida State have been a number of of the 35 faculties that had provided Cross full-ride scholarships.

Cross determined to decide to Florida State. It had been his dream faculty since he was slightly child, and he felt comfy with the coaches. Nevertheless, Cross didn’t signal a letter of intent to play with the Seminoles. That left the door open for different faculties to make a push.

In December of 2018, after Cross had completed his senior season, Brooks was employed because the operating backs coach at Maryland. Cross was elated for his coach and commenced to consider how cool it could be to play faculty ball along with his highschool coach and have the chance to remain near house.

So, in a stunning transfer after Nationwide Signing Day had already handed, Cross switched his dedication and signed his letter of intent to hitch Brooks at Maryland. The Terrapins’ teaching workers was elated to get a participant of that caliber, and Cross was able to show he might star on the collegiate degree.

Utilizing Benching as Motivation

Cross made his option to the Maryland campus and set his sights on having a task on protection immediately. Cross had an instantaneous influence as a freshman, enjoying in all 12 video games with 5 begins and racking up 45 tackles, two interceptions, and 5 move breakups. He led the crew in interceptions and move breakups, displaying that he had already developed a nostril for the ball.

Cross started his sophomore season within the beginning lineup and had a career-high 9 tackles within the loss in opposition to Northwestern. Nevertheless, Cross was taken out of the beginning lineup by Terrapins’ head coach Mike Locksley for the Week 2 matchup in opposition to Minnesota.

“The primary recreation, I didn’t suppose he performed quick,” Locksley stated through The Baltimore Solar. “We noticed him not essentially pull the set off on some issues, be slightly hesitant, and for that, we benched him. … He didn’t begin Recreation 2, and that was by coach’s determination as a result of we didn’t suppose he performed effectively and we wish to create competitors with each alternative that we are able to.”

The benching was the primary time Cross was sidelined for non-injury causes in so long as he might bear in mind. It was a wake-up name to him, a message that he couldn’t take performs or video games off.

“I positively suppose there have been some issues I might have accomplished higher from assignment-sound soccer and technique-sound soccer,” Cross stated on the time. “However on the finish of the day, you reside and also you be taught, and that was my mantra for that week.”

He continued, “It simply drove me to proceed to get higher and work on some issues that I wanted to work on. After Minnesota, I simply continued to work on each side of my recreation in order that I might go on the market and contribute in the way in which that I do know that I can.”

Cross didn’t wish to really feel that method once more. He felt like he had let his crew down and had let himself down. He knew the kind of participant he was able to being and wished to show that each recreation.

Cross used the benching as gas to encourage him, placing further dedication into his recreation. Within the Terrapins’ subsequent recreation in opposition to Penn State, Cross registered eight tackles, a sack, a compelled fumble, and an interception. He by no means seemed again from there.

The sophomore security went on to earn All-Massive Ten Honorable Point out that 12 months within the Terrapins’ COVID-shortened season. As a junior, Cross had his greatest season with 66 tackles (together with a career-high 13 in opposition to Minnesota), three sacks, two compelled fumbles, three interceptions, and 4 move breakups. He led the crew in interceptions and compelled fumbles, as soon as once more, incomes All-Massive Ten Honorable Point out for the second 12 months in a row.

At solely 20 years outdated, Cross was a younger junior prospect that might have gone on to have one other stellar 12 months at Maryland. However he felt like he was able to make the bounce, and the athletic security determined to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL Draft.

One crew that had stored an eye fixed on Cross all through his faculty profession was the Colts. The Colts love athletic defenders with a nostril for the ball, one thing Cross has been recognized for. The Colts took an curiosity in Cross on the NFL Mix and got here away very impressed with the younger man.

“We talked an excellent quantity. I talked to the defensive backs coach and I talked to (Mike Derice), my space scout. I talked to Chris Ballard, the (normal supervisor) and on the NFL Mix I had a proper interview with them. I used to be capable of meet with your entire workers, and break down some movie. I had an excellent quantity of dialog with them in the course of the 12 months.”

On Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Colts had already made their three picks for the evening. However because the third spherical was ending, Cross nonetheless sat on the board.

Ballard seemed to his workers and requested the place would they place Cross as a prospect subsequent 12 months if he was popping out within the draft. When his workers replied Cross could be a borderline first-round decide, it was sufficient to tug the set off. The Colts traded again into the third spherical and chosen Cross with the No.96 decide.

How Cross Helps the Colts

With the retirement of Khari Willis earlier this offseason, Cross can have an instantaneous influence on the Colts.

At 6-0 and 212 kilos, Cross could be lined up everywhere in the discipline in defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s protection. Whether or not as a deep security, within the field, or within the slot, Cross can do all of it. His ball-hawking nature matches the Colts’ turnover-oriented protection completely, and you’ll count on him to make performs on the ball.

“I convey excessive power,” Cross defined. “I fly round and make performs. I’m bodily on the again finish and I’m capable of come downhill and make stable tackles. I’m somebody who can play the center of the sector and intercept the ball. Be sure that nobody makes any massive performs down the sector. I wish to be somebody who can take the ball away and trigger havoc for the offense.”

Cross ran with the beginning protection for almost all of coaching camp and appears in line to be the starter at sturdy security. Competing with fellow security Rodney McLeod, whose soccer camp Cross attended when he was youthful, has helped him settle into the NFL recreation. Cross has already made his presence recognized on the sector in each follow and preseason video games.

The Colts really feel like Cross has sky-high potential. Combining Cross with beginning free security Julian Blackmon and the Colts suppose they might doubtlessly have probably the greatest security tandems in your entire league.

Cross has by no means let an impediment get in his method of reaching the NFL. It doesn’t matter whether it is beginning the sport of soccer late or being benched, Cross has overcome all of it and are available out higher on the opposite aspect. So, when obstacles come up all through his NFL profession, you may wager Cross will assault them like he assaults ball carriers: Tackling them head-on.

Extra Rookie Recordsdata

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