Recruiting Spotlight: Deshon Elliott

On the first day of Spring Practice, the Longhorns got some good news in the form of a commitment from Rockwall (TX) Heath defender Deshon Elliott. Like 2014 signee Edwin Freeman, Elliott is a hybrid that could play safety or gain weight and move to outside linebacker. With an entertaining highlight film, Elliott personifies violence on the field.

The 6’2″, 205 pound safety attended a Junior Day at Texas and came away impressed with what Charlie Strong was selling. He and recent commit Charles Omenihu forged a bond with each other, and Omenihu recruited Elliott to the 40 acres.

It’s early in the recruiting cycle, so most ranking services are still unsure at which position to rate him. Many expect him to play outside linebacker at the college level, but he currently plays safety for Rockwall. He is currently ranked 65th in the state and a three star by Rivals.com.

Elliott was receiving attention from Arkansas, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Nebraska, TCU and Texas A&M, so a case can be made that national recruiting services are underrating him. Regardless, this commitment secures a head to head win over A&M for Charlie Strong, and should provide positive momentum in the war going on in-state between the Longhorns and Aggies.

Elliott is an impressive guy on the hoof and his teammates call him “The Kraken”. According to Elliott, when the game starts it’s time to “release the Kraken”. When I watch him play, the scene from Gladiator comes to mind, “On my signal unleash hell”.

It’s still unclear what the defense will look like under Strong, but Elliott could be the perfect rover in a 3-3-5 or 4-2-5. Take a look at the film linked above, and let us know where you project him.

Analysis:

Elliott has a nice frame at 6’2 and 205 lbs. The first thing you notice is a violent hitter with good tackling skills who wraps up and drives through his opponent. He’s good in coverage and plays center field well at the high school level.

Elliott excels when making plays on the ball in the air. He has the coverage skills to remain at safety at the next level. When he lines up in the box and blitzes or takes on the run, Elliott shows better than expected at the point of attack. He has good closing speed and a relentless motor. Elliott has good change of direction and body control, but can get a little out of control running to the ball. He has a tendency to overrun plays when he gets too aggressive. No matter where he ends up on defense, all those qualities point to a player that should be able to thrive immediately as a special teams player.

Final Verdict:

I love this pickup and I think Elliott will enjoy a bump in the rankings if he continues to develop. The new Texas coaching staff is recruiting a specific style and attitude in their players and Elliott appears to fit the mold very well. If you’re looking for clues on where the coaches might play Elliott, they seem interested in bigger defensive backs. Elliott fits in well with that plan and may very well stick at safety. If he gets to campus and will do the work the coaches ask, I don’t see any reason why he can’t be an All Big 12-type of player.