Draft Prospect Outlook:
Checks the size and athleticism boxes for the safety spot. Can be a bit stiff hipped when dropping in coverage though. Serious striker from his robber spot and possesses good ball skills. Tackling is good, not great. Experience as deep safety too.
College Recap:
A 247Sports Composite four-star recruit out of Rockwall-Heath (Texas) in 2015, DeShon Elliott signed with Texas over Oklahoma, TCU and Texas A&M among others. Though Elliott’s true freshman season was slowed at the start due to a preseason toe injury, he made his collegiate debut by forcing a fumble while on kickoff coverage in a 24-17 upset of eventual Big 12 champion Oklahoma. With two veterans in front of him, Elliott started only one game and played in 19 contests through his first two seasons. He did, however, record three interceptions in relatively limited action, which quietly set the tone for a breakout junior season once he became a starter under head coach Tom Herman and defensive coordinator Todd Orlando.
Elliott became a versatile ball hawk in Orlando’s defense, a multiple 3-4 base that saw the Longhorns play out of nickel and dime packages for most of the season. Elliott started all 12 games during the regular season (did not play in the team’s Texas Bowl win over Missouri after declaring for the draft), earning unanimous All-American honors and being named a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award in what turned out to be his final campaign with the Longhorns. Elliott’s six interceptions in 2017 were the most by a Texas defender since Earl Thomas’ eight in 2009 and he returned two of those for touchdowns. - Jeff Howe, Horns247
