Crawford was born and grew up in Memphis, Tennessee and attended East High School, where he played quarterback.
He was the team's leading receiver as a junior with 31 receptions for 594 yards and three touchdowns and as a senior, when he caught 32 passes for 523 yards and two touchdowns and was named All-Metro Conference.
[2] Crawford was selected by the Memphis Showboats in the 1984 USFL Territorial Draft.
[3] Crawford had been selected in the first round (24th pick) of the 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft of USFL and CFL players by the San Francisco 49ers and signed with the team after the USFL folded in 1986.
[7][8] After sitting out the 1994 season Crawford was signed by the Birmingham Barracudas, formed as part of the CFL's attempted expansion into the United States, in 1995.