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Valley standout Ian Crim-Davis’ recruitment was longer than most, but it was the right path for him. Now, Crim-Davis has decided that he will continue playing football at Morehouse College. 

For Crim-Davis, it all came down to his official visit to Morehouse. The Maroon Tigers’ campus immediately felt like a place Crim-Davis could call home. 

“I visited Morehouse about two weeks ago, just felt like home,” Crim-Davis said. “[It was] one of the first schools to give me an official visit, so that was great. They took care of me and my family. Everything was just good and fun.” 

The surrounding Atlanta area felt like a new beginning for him while also being just a short distance away from his hometown. 

“I think for my first year being away from home, being an hour down the road is pretty good,” Crim-Davis said. “But by being an hour away, it’s like a whole new area. I’m used to the country. Atlanta is a big city. It’s going to take a lot of getting used to.” 

Crim-Davis’ visit to Morehouse was late in his recruitment process, but the Maroon Tigers were not late to the party with noticing his talent. 

Morehouse was one of the first schools to start recruiting Crim-Davis as a junior, and ever since then assistant coach Adrian Billingslea and the Morehouse coaching staff have kept in touch with him and made him a priority recruit. 

“My junior year they came in, checked out my GPA, my film and everything, told me they wanted to offer me a full scholarship on the spot,” Crim-Davis said. “He kept in touch with me ever since the beginning to the start of basketball season all the way till now.” 

Crim-Davis had a large support system to help him with making this decision, starting with his parents. Valley’s coaching staff and others surrounding the program continually showed support for Crim-Davis during the winding process. 

“My mom, she’s helped me a lot through it all,” Crim-Davis said. “My dad has helped me a lot. Terrell Avery, Mrs. Jameka [Harper], coaches, all of them have been helping me. Coach [Chad] Martin has really helped me. He’s been a great guide to me. Coach Adam Hunter, Coach [Marshon] Harper, just the whole staff. Everybody has shown me some love.” 

Morehouse is the college that ended up landing Crim-Davis, but it was far from the only school recruiting him. In the end, Crim-Davis made his decision based on opportunity and academics. 

“I want to play as a freshman,” Crim-Davis said. 

“I want to be able to be a part of the team, get in and show what I can do. Morehouse is going to give me that opportunity and not only that. It’s a great academic school. It’s not always about sports. You’ve got to see what you’re going to do when it’s time to put the ball down. Morehouse is a great foundation and a great place to come from. It’s a great title to have to say that you’re a Morehouse man.” 

Academics are an extremely important part of the journey for Crim-Davis as he plans to major in sports management at the next level. While on a visit with Morehouse, Crim-Davis learned about opportunities like a paid internship with Spike Lee and several other things that can help him excel in his desired field. 

Crim-Davis’ athletic prowess is no secret for those in Valley. Crim-Davis totaled 427 yards and three touchdowns at receiver this season while also adding a sack, an interception, two tackles for loss and 23 solo tackles at defensive back. Crim-Davis also played a pivotal role in the basketball team last season as they won a state championship in 5A, and he has played an even bigger role this season. 

Committing to Morehouse was the realization of a lifelong dream for Crim-Davis, but it did not come easy. During the process, Crim-Davis watched teammates like Cam Dooley and Jay Harper sign to play football at the next level. 

Crim-Davis never had an ounce of jealousy as he watched his teammates, who were more like brothers, get recognition. Crim-Davis recognized that his journey was different and that he had to take joy in his own process. 

“Shout out to them, I love my bros, I’m happy that they made it,” Crim-Davis said. “My process, it took a little minute, but it really made me find that diamond in the rough. It felt like I kind of got it out of the mud. Like God always says, he gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers. It made me embrace it and motivated me to keep going.” 

While Crim-Davis was never jealous of his teammates, he did at times feel like colleges were overlooking him. Instead of being bitter about that, Crim-Davis is bent on proving Morehouse right and the other schools wrong. Crim-Davis is also focused on maintaining his grades in college and living a wealthy life. 

“Some of my goals as far as football in my freshman year is to put my name out there,” Crim-Davis said. “I want to show some schools that maybe didn’t believe in me that I could play at the next level. I want to show them what I’m all about. I want to show them the character that I have.” 

In the past, some athletes have been hesitant to attend HBCUs, but that only increased Crim-Davis’ interest in Morehouse. 

Like all HBCUs, Morehouse has a rich history. Crim-Davis saw Morehouse as an opportunity to learn more about himself and the history that an HBCU can provide. 

“It’s very important to me,” Crim-Davis said. “Growing up here, I’ve always been open to all my family and friends, but one thing I always wanted to do was go back to my roots and get a lot of learning. Going to Morehouse is going to teach me a lot.” 

Morehouse has plans to play Crim-Davis at cornerback, but he will not be like your typical college defensive back. 

As an athlete who has played all over the field, Crim-Davis will bring a different level of ball skills that other defensive backs might not possess. Still, Crim-Davis is also focused on improving other aspects of his defensive skillset. 

Crim-Davis should give fans of Morehouse College a lot to be excited about, and he is just ready to put on a show for the Maroon Tigers. 

“New face, new talent, coming from all over the place,” Crim-Davis said. “I’m just ready to ball out and make a name for myself, and I think they’re going to enjoy it.” 

While Crim-Davis is excited for his next opportunity, he is not quick to forget some of the lessons he learned at Valley High School. 

“Valley has helped me learn that everything is not given to you,” Crim-Davis said. “Some things that come easy to you are not really what they are. Getting it the hard way and grinding for it, that’s when you see the gold.”