Former Florida A&M University wide receiver Kevin Elliott played his first NFL regular season game Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. He’s come a long way.
Elliott was once your average two-sport athlete, and now he’s chasing his dream as a wide receiver in the NFL. But his journey is unlike any other.
Elliott was a standout receiver for FAMU. He was one of the most productive receivers in the receiving corps and made great strides as a player.
Elliott recently made the 53-man final roster for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He is the fifth wide receiver on the depth chart. Elliott caught a slant pass, eluded three defenders and dashed 77 yards for a receiving touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the final preseason game last week, solidifying his spot on the team.
Standing 6 feet 3 inches at 210 pounds, Elliott is an imposing ?gure. He is also quite the athlete, impressing NFL scouts with a 35-inch vertical leap. His height and athleticism allow him to get open against tough coverage.
Elliott’s parents were part of the military, so they moved often throughout his childhood. Orlando, which is Elliot’s birthplace, ended up being their last stop. Elliott played football, basketball, and participated in the long jump, triple jump and high jump at Colonial High School. He even won state championships in the long jump and triple jump, soaring 6 feet 8 inches and 48 feet 4 inches, respectively, during his senior year of high school.
He became the ?rst athlete in Colonial High School history to win two state championships in a single year, en route to being named the Orange County Athlete of the Year. As a potential Olympian, Elliot was highly recruited as a high jumper and triple jumper.
Despite his success on the track, Elliott had other plans for his future. He wanted to play football. He ran track in the offseason to stay in shape. Clemson University and the University of Georgia both offered him track scholarships, but he turned them down to play football at FAMU. The Rattlers offered him a football scholarship with the option to run track.
“I always loved the physicality of the game, and that’s why I chose football,” said Elliott.
While at FAMU, Elliott worked his way up the depth chart at wide receiver. He played offense, as well as special teams, making six tackles. He had 709 all-purpose yards as a senior along with five touchdowns. Elliott totaled 20 touchdowns during his collegiate career.
Head football coach Joe Taylor said that no one wanted to win more than Elliot.
“As long as I’ve been here, I’ve never known Kevin Elliott to miss a practice,” said Taylor. “That says a lot about his work ethic.”
Elliott recently spoke to the team before practice, and it was very inspirational for the players.
Wide receiver coach Steven Jerry is very proud of Elliott and described him as humble and competitive.
“Elliott was an excellent receiver as well as an excellent student,” said Jerry.
Elliott is a fearless competitor on the gridiron, but once the pads come off, he’s human again. He is afraid of spiders and believes he has arachnophobia.
“I really don’t do spiders,” said Elliott.
As a graduating senior, Elliott will earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at the end of this semester.