Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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44 SUMMER 2025 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY TODD D. BURLAGE B e it in high school, college ball or even in the pros right now with a current stop this spring in the United Football League, former Irish star safety Jalen Elliott has never followed a normal script in his athletic career. Not hardly. A high school sophomore in 2013 at Lloyd C. Bird near Richmond, Va., El- liott believed basketball would be his ticket to a college scholarship, and rightfully so, with offers from nearby Radford and VCU already in hand. "My family is a huge basketball fam- ily, so that's where I started," Elliott said in a story for UND.com. "I got a late start in football. It was all about hoops." That changed when football of- fers started pouring in for Elliott, who played some quarterback, wide receiver, defensive back and even a little defen- sive tackle in high school. Old Dominion was Elliott's first foot- ball offer. Virginia Tech was his second, with many more suitors to follow. "I ended up getting offers from ev- ery team in the ACC," said Elliott, who was recruited as a defensive back, wide receiver and quarterback. "My sopho- more year was when I thought maybe I needed to change my mindset and take this football thing a little more seriously." Elliott did and eventually became a first-team All-Virginia honoree at quarterback, a member of the 2016 Fighting Irish recruiting class, a three- year Irish starter and a team captain as a senior at Notre Dame in 2019. "Confidence comes with experience," said Elliott, who started 39 times, and played in all 51 games during his four years at Notre Dame. "Being able to get on the field early and learn from some of those bumps in the road really helped me to be the player I am today." Always an overachiever, Elliott went undrafted out of Notre Dame in 2020 but still briefly found his way onto ac- tive NFL rosters with the Detroit Li- ons and Pittsburgh Steelers, and on the practice squads of the New England Pa- triots and Las Vegas Raiders. Cut by the Steelers after last season but undeterred, Elliott, 26, is spending this spring playing with the San Anto- nio Brahmas of the UFL, trying to stay relevant and find his way back onto an NFL roster in the fall. At the halfway point of the Brah- mas' 10-game regular season, Elliott — a versatile and hard-hitting 6-foot, 205-pound safety — was fourth on the team with 22 tackles, and added 2 passes broken up and 1 interception. Elliott is one of five former Irish play- ing in the UFL this spring, in a season that runs from late March to early June and can serve as a springboard to the NFL. IRISH IN THE UFL Through May 2 • Jalen Elliott (Played at Notre Dame from 2016‑19), S, San Antonio Brahmas: Played in five games, tallying 22 totals stops (13 solo), 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception and 2 passes broken up. • Jarron Jones (2012‑15), OT, Birmingham Stal‑ lions: Joined the Stallions in January 2025. • Jamir Jones (2016‑19), LB, Houston Rough‑ necks: Played in five games, notching 7 tackles (6 solo), 3 stops for loss and 1 sack. • Alizé Mack (2015‑18), TE, San Antonio Brah‑ mas: Has played in four games but is still looking for his first reception of the season. • Paul Moala (2018‑21), LB, San Antonio Brah‑ mas: Signed by the Brahmas April 28. ✦ FIGHTING IRISH HEADLINERS Zach Auguste, (2012‑16), C, SeaHorses Mikawa, Japanese B.League Playing his second season in Kariya, Japan, the Cambridge, Mass., native was third on his team in scoring at 12.3 points per game and first in rebounds at 8.7 per contest as of May 2. Through 58 games, the SeaHorses with Auguste, 31, as their starting center were 38-20, good enough for seventh place in the 24-team B.League. Former Irish players John Mooney and Jack Cooley also play in this highly competitive league. Pat Connaughton (2011‑15), SG, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA Connaughton's 10th NBA season ended April 29, when the Indiana Pacers elimi- nated the Bucks in the first round of the playoffs. A more diminished role this season compared to previous ones, the Arlington, Mass., native averaged 5.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 14.7 minutes per game. Connaughton, 32, is expected to be put on the trading block after seven seasons in Milwaukee when the NBA postseason ends. Craig Counsell (1988‑92), manager, Chicago Cubs, MLB Working his second season as the manager of the Chicago Cubs, the 51-year-old South Bend native had his team atop the NL Central standings with a 19-13 record as of May 1. The former star Irish infielder, standout MLB player and two-time World Series champion became the all-time winningest manager in Milwaukee Brewers history before he took the Cubs top job before the 2024 season. Jalen Elliott Hopes The UFL Sparks An NFL Return I R I S H I N T H E P R O S During his four-year career at Notre Dame, Elliott played in 51 games, started 39 and was named a captain as a senior in 2019. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER