Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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2016 RECRUITING ISSUE JALEN ELLIOTT SAFETY 6-0 · 189 LLOYD C. BIRD H.S. RICHMOND, VA. RANKINGS STARS NAT. POS. STATE ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ — 15 5 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 46 22 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 29 13 ✪ ✪ ✪ — 94 28 MEASURABLES • Timed at 4.46 in the 40-yard dash while camping at the University of Tennessee. STATISTICS • Intercepted five passes and broke up seven as a senior. • Passed for 2,664 yards and 38 touchdowns the last two seasons. HONORS • Named to the Virginia High School League All- State first team as a defensive back and offensive all-purpose player as a senior, and earned first- team honors as an offensive all-purpose player following his junior campaign. • Chosen as a 2015 American Family Insurance All-USA Virginia Football second-team member as a defensive back. • Selected to The Richmond Times-Dispatch All- Metro first team as a defensive back in his senior year and made the first team at quarterback as a junior. ALL-STAR GAMES AND CAMPS • Won defensive MVP honors in the Virginia High School Coaches Association All-Star Game after breaking up five passes and making five tackles. RECRUITMENT • Committed to Notre Dame on June 19, 2015. • Picked Notre Dame over Auburn, Georgia and Virginia Tech. • Received offers from Auburn, Georgia, Miami, Virginia Tech, North Carolina State, Virginia, Mary- land and Wake Forest. • Primarily recruited by tight ends coach Scott Booker. Secondary recruiter was defensive coordi- nator Brian VanGorder. • Took an unofficial visit to Notre Dame on Sept. 5, 2015, and returned for his official visit for the USC game on Oct. 17, 2015. NOTABLE • Born July 7, 1998. • Three-year starter on the varsity basketball team; started for two years at Mechanicsville (Va.) Hanover and one year at Bird. • Earned second team 2013-14 All-Group 4A South Region basketball honors as a guard for Hanover. • His father, Anthony Elliott, played football at Virginia Tech. 2016 PROJECTION • He is an instinctive and athletic player that could push for a spot in the two-deep at free safety next season. At the very least, he could quickly emerge as a key special teams player. THEY SAID IT • Head coach Brian Kelly: "Jalen Elliott competed like no player that I have seen since I've been coach- ing in a camp setting, and that's over 25 years. His competitive spirit was unmatched. … This kid com- peted at every position at such a level that he was a can't-miss guy for us in the recruiting process." • Defensive backs coach Toddy Lyght: "Elite ath- leticism. Jalen is a really good-looking athlete. … He's such a great competitor. He'll be a mainstay and he'll start for many years to come and he'll be the kind of guy that will be a leader of an elite secondary." • BGI football analyst Bryan Driskell: "Elliott pos- sesses strong overall athleticism and good size, which combine with his intangibles to make him a special prospect He has top-notch instincts, is a high-IQ football player and has a knack for making plays and winning games."