Dolphins Think They Have Real Catch in Aaron Craver

Aaron Craver is getting paid for the pass-catching skills he learned on Maple Street in Compton.

“I’m just happy to be in the NFL,” said Craver, the former El Camino College running back who signed a three-year contract worth an estimated $950,000 with the Miami Dolphins last week.

The rookie running back from Fresno State, who reported 11 days late to camp, is regarded by the Dolphins as a steal in the third round. Craver won Coach Don Shula’s praise for his pass-catching during two spring mini-camps.

Those talents were honed tossing the ball around with other kids in his neighborhood, Craver said.

“We’d have contests, throwing the ball and seeing what kind of crazy catches you could make,” he said. “We would run in the street and somebody would throw the ball into the yard and we would dive over the sideline and into the grass.”

Craver will try to earn playing time in a backfield that features Sammie Smith, the Dolphins’ leading rusher last season. Since Smith has yet to develop into a threat as a receiver, the Dolphins plan to use Craver in third-down passing situations.

“I know they expect a lot of me, especially on third down, which is probably the most crucial down,” he said.

Ironically, Craver quit his high school team as a sophomore because he was asked to move from quarterback to receiver.

“It was just a position I didn’t want to play at the time,” he said. “Now I like playing receiver. It’s fun.”

Craver returned to football as a freshman walk-on at El Camino, where he was used as a blocking back. He finally found his niche at Fresno State and had 57 receptions in two seasons.

“I knew I could catch the whole time,” Craver said.

He also can run with the ball. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a junior and senior and also saw duty as a kick returner.

“We liked everything we saw from Craver in our two mini-camps,” Shula said.