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Kevin Ellison (American football)
Encyclopedia
Kevin Marcus Ellison is a Free Agent
American football
safety who last played for the Seattle Seahawks
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers
in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Southern California.
, where he starred as a running back
and linebacker
. He achieved many honors and awards including Los Angeles Times
All-South Bay/Westside Player of the Year, South Bay Daily Breeze
All-Area Player of the Year, All-Bay League MVP
, and many others. He finished his high school
career with a school record 3,718 rushing yards on 578 carries and 297 tackles
.
in the spring of 2005. During his freshman
season he spent most of his time as a back up safety and on special teams, and was selected to The Sporting News
Pac-10 All-Freshman first team. In 2006 he became the team's starting strong safety, finishing with 64 tackles, one interception, and 1.5 sacks
. He made the 2006 Collegefootballnews.com Sophomore All-American second team and was an All-Pac-10 honorable mention. In 2007 Ellison started all 13 games, finishing with 57 tackles, two interceptions, and two sacks.
in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft
. He started his first NFL game in week 6 against the Denver Broncos
and recorded 7 tackles. He was waived on June 21, 2010.
. He was waived on June 25, 2010 after failing his physical. He then cleared waivers and signed in order to "adjust contractual issues." Once again, he was united with his college coach. On September 5, 2010, Ellsion was released by the Seahawks.
. Another brother, Chris, played for BYU
in 1997 and 1998.
On May 24, 2010, Ellison was arrested on possession of a controlled substance
in Redondo Beach, California.
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
safety who last played for the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Southern California.
Early years
Ellison attended Redondo Union High SchoolRedondo Union High School
Redondo Union High School is a public high school in Redondo Beach, California.Redondo Union High School is a part of the Redondo Beach Unified School District....
, where he starred as a running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
. He achieved many honors and awards including Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
All-South Bay/Westside Player of the Year, South Bay Daily Breeze
Daily Breeze
The Daily Breeze is a 70,000-circulation daily newspaper published in Torrance, California. It serves the South Bay cities of Los Angeles County. Its slogan is "LAX to LA Harbor".- Early history :...
All-Area Player of the Year, All-Bay League MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
, and many others. He finished his high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
career with a school record 3,718 rushing yards on 578 carries and 297 tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
.
College career
Ellison graduated a semester early from high school and enrolled at USCUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in the spring of 2005. During his freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
season he spent most of his time as a back up safety and on special teams, and was selected to The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
Pac-10 All-Freshman first team. In 2006 he became the team's starting strong safety, finishing with 64 tackles, one interception, and 1.5 sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
. He made the 2006 Collegefootballnews.com Sophomore All-American second team and was an All-Pac-10 honorable mention. In 2007 Ellison started all 13 games, finishing with 57 tackles, two interceptions, and two sacks.
San Diego Chargers
Ellison was drafted by the San Diego ChargersSan Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. He started his first NFL game in week 6 against the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and recorded 7 tackles. He was waived on June 21, 2010.
Seattle Seahawks
On June 22, 2010 Ellison was claimed off waivers by the Seattle SeahawksSeattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
. He was waived on June 25, 2010 after failing his physical. He then cleared waivers and signed in order to "adjust contractual issues." Once again, he was united with his college coach. On September 5, 2010, Ellsion was released by the Seahawks.
Cathedral High School (Los Angeles, CA)
September 2011: Kevin Ellison becomes the Defensive Coordinator at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles, CA and is joined by his brothers Keith who will coach the Linebackers and Chris who will coach the Defensive Backs.Personal
Ellison's brother, Keith, was a linebacker for the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Another brother, Chris, played for BYU
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
in 1997 and 1998.
On May 24, 2010, Ellison was arrested on possession of a controlled substance
Controlled substance
A controlled substance is generally a drug or chemical whose manufacture, possession, or use are regulated by a government. This may include illegal drugs and prescription medications ....
in Redondo Beach, California.