Blue White Illustrated

W hen asked about his strengths on the football 6eld, D'Von Ellies politely declined to answer. "I think I know what I do well, but I don't want to speak on my game," he said. Because that's not him. For Ellies, prais- ing his own game and breaking down his success would be two steps outside his comfort zone. The Penn State signee oozes humility – a remarkable trait for such an accomplished young athlete. Ellies, rated a three-star prospect by Ri- vals.com, collected 72 tackles, including 17 sacks, during his senior season at the McDonogh School. The 6-foot-1, 288- pound prospect from Burtonsville, Md., received o7ers from 21 programs, includ- ing Ohio State, USC and Florida. But you would never know from talking to him. "I'm like a family guy," he said. "Family is really big to me, especially in the Samoan culture. There are a lot of things that a lot of people will begin to 6nd out. I'm not open with everything, but over time they'll see I'm a charismatic person." Ellies was born in Hawaii, and his Samoan heritage is an important part of his life. When he earned an invite to the Polynesian Bowl in January, the symme- try was too perfect for him to resist. He had already given his verbal commitment to the Penn State coaching sta7 but hadn't announced his intentions publicly. Celebrating his culture along with some of the best players in high school football, Ellies decided the Polynesian Bowl of- fered the ideal stage to announce his commitment. Flanked by his family in the same island chain where he was born, he donned a Penn State cap to announce his commitment on live television. "When I 6rst got the Poly Bowl invite, I kind of 6gured I wanted to announce there," he said. "It was a surreal feeling." In chatting with Ellies, it doesn't take long to realize that he's about people. Un- like many recruits, he's not super6cial. He values family and friendship. At Penn State, he feels like he'll have both, and that's why he chose the NIttany Lions. "On my o8cial [visit] we never really felt like we were alone. There was always a member of the coaching sta7," Ellis said. "There was always somebody there who was engaging with my family, laugh- ing with my family. "I felt as though the family orientation they have would ground me. They're going to keep it real with me. That was re- ally just what I was looking for." A9er graduating from McDonogh, Ellies will join his friend and former high school teammate P.J. Mustipher with the Nittany Lions. Mustipher played in 12 games and compiled 14 total tackles, providing some important depth along the defensive line. Ellies was watching closely, and the Lions should be glad for that. "That's like my big bro," he said. "I came in as a freshman, he was a sophomore. I just watched him play and the rest of the defensive linemen play and I just learned from him." Ellies said he was impressed with how well Mustipher developed in his 6rst sea- son with the Nittany Lions, and his for- mer high school teammate's experience impacted his decision to come play in Happy Valley. Ellies, a9er all, has some lo9y goals for his own development. He compared his size and speed to that of a young Aaron Donald, a Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle who has won the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award the past two years. Ellies knows he has a long way to go to get there, and while he may have a humble nature, he also has a quiet sense of con6dence in his abilities. "There are many similarities," he said. "I don't have [Donald's] technique, but I will gain that. "Really, it's just practice, practice, prac- tice. Muscle memory. What they've done to develop P.J., for example. P.J.'s game has really excelled and exceeded expecta- tions. Once Coach [Sean] Spencer has the opportunity to work with me and I work with him... I really feel as though it will make a di7erence." ■ Ellies likes family atmosphere he found at PSU | THE ELLIES FILE STATS Totaled 72 tackles, including 17 sacks and 11 tackles for loss, in 2018... Helped lead McDonogh to a 17-14 record during his three seasons, including an 8-3 finish in 2016 HONORS Named a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, as well as the No. 29 defensive tackle in the Class of 2019 and No. 7 prospect in Maryland... Played in the Polynesian Bowl... Was a second-team All-USA Maryland pick by USA Today... Claimed first-team All-Metro honors from The Baltimore Sun CLICK HERE to see video of Ellies in action. watched Rudolph develop from a novice to an advanced player, from someone who was simply figuring it out, to a feared presence in the secondary. "Tyler wants to take your soul," Williams said. "He just wants to domi- nate you right from the start. He wants to put his hands on you and destroy your con6dence. He always wants to end the mind game quickly, which is smart. Con- 6dence is a big part of the game, and he does a great job taking everyone's con6- dence away. He does a great job intimi- dating you quickly so you'll never want to play him again." ■

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