Before Kitan Crawford was out here turning NFL scouts into 🤯 emojis, he was a Tyler, Texas, kid putting up 1,065 rushing yards and 13 TDs as a high school RB/CB hybrid. The dude was a Swiss Army knife—part track star, part football bulldozer. At Texas, he blocked field goals, picked off passes in Big 12 title games, and earned Academic All-Big 12 honors (“Brain and brawn?”—every coach’s dream). But after four years as a depth-chart understudy, he transferred to Nevada in 2024 and went full berserk: 76 tackles, 2 INTs, 1 pick-six, and a rep as the Wolf Pack’s defensive GPS with Patrick Mahomes‘ blessings.

Then came the Combine. Crawford’s 4.41 40 wasn’t just fast—it was statement fast. Faster than a Mahomes scramble (4.80 in 2017, lol), faster than a TikTok trend. Suddenly, the kid who’d been grinding in the shadows had Mahomes shouting him out like he’d just won Squid Game.

“Lil cuz had a day! @KitanCrawford” Patrick Mahomes doesn’t just tweet—he anoints. So when the Chiefs’ QB1 fired off those four words after Nevada safety Kitan Crawford blazed a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at the 2025 NFL Combine, it wasn’t just hype. It was the football equivalent of LeBron James nodding at a rookie dunking from the free-throw line.

Crawford, a former Texas Longhorn turned Nevada Wolf Pack standout, didn’t just crack the top-2 fastest 40 times in Nevada history—he almost outran Dontay Moch’s 13-year-old record (4.40). Not bad for a kid who once clocked a 10.60-second 100-meter dash in high school. “Speed kills,” as Deion Sanders once drawled. And Crawford? He’s got a license to hunt. “Lil cuz had a day!” Yeah, no kidding. When Patty Ice daps you up, you’ve arrived.

Mahomes’ mentorship: paying it forward like a human Venmo

Here’s the thing: Patrick Mahomes doesn’t toss praise like confetti. Remember when Alex Smith took him under his wing in 2017? “You want to be drafted high, but to be drafted high into an organization like the Chiefs… it’s a dream,” Mahomes gushed back then. Now, he’s the vet whispering, “I’m ready to do the job as your QB. Whatever it takes.” So when he hypes Crawford, it’s more than a tweet—it’s a baton pass.

And Crawford’s no project. He’s a product. Dude’s built like a safety (6’0”, 205 lbs) but moves like a slot receiver. At Nevada, he wasn’t just tackling machines—he was a playmaker, snagging a 52-yard pick-six against Oregon State like he’d stolen the playbook. “Happy for Kitan. He should at minimum stick due to special teams play,” one scout tweeted. Minimum? Try floor. With Mahomes’ co-sign and a combine badge of honor, Crawford’s ceiling’s higher than Andy Reid’s post-Super Bowl BBQ budget.

Meanwhile, Mahomes is over here fresh off a 3,928-yard, 26-TD season, still mentoring like he’s got a PhD in Leadership. He’s advising Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. on playoff pressure, hyping rookies, and now shouting out Crawford. It’s almost like he’s building a Moneyball sequel—“Mathomes.”

Kitan Crawford didn’t just run a 40—he sprinted into the NFL’s radar. And Mahomes? He’s the hype man every prospect dreams of. As Crawford gears up for draft night, remember: speed thrills, but mentorship builds. Or as Mahomes would say, “Keep grindin’.” Even if your 40 time’s faster than his.