NFL.com list of the league s top 100 players continues its countdown, with a new group of 10 being released each Monday. Former Ohio State stars Carlos Hyde and Malcolm Jenkins now with the Cleveland https://www.cowboysdaclub.com/customize-jersey-c-91.html Browns and Philadelphia Eagles respectively were in the first 10 released, while Buckeyes, and current New Orleans Saints teammates, Marshon Lattimore and Michael Thomas were in the next group.

The countdown reached the top 50 on Monday and another former Scarlet and Gray player made the list. Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott checks in at No. 54, tucked in between Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes and Denver Broncos defensive back Aqib Talib.

Elliott came to Ohio State out of St. Louis, Missouri s John Burroughs High School in 2013. He was a four star prospect and the country s fifth ranked all purpose back. Elliott spent his freshman year as a Buckeye as the primary backup to Hyde, rushing for 262 yards and two touchdowns on just 30 carries. Head coach Urban Meyer and his staff liked what they had in Elliott https://www.cowboysdaclub.com/tyrone-crawford-jersey-c-89.html, but likely they did not envision the running back star he would become.


At the beginning of his sophomore year, Elliott won the starting job, but was expected to split carries to some degree with fellow running back Warren Ball, Bri onte Dunn and Rod Smith, but it quickly became apparent Elliott would be the guy for the Buckeyes. Despite playing the year with a broken wrist, Elliott rushed for 1,878 yards and 18 touchdowns on 273 carries and was named Academic All Big Ten

When quarterback J.T. Barrett broke his ankle in the regular season finale against Michigan, the Scarlet and Gray turned to Elliott to help carry the load in the postseason. Over the course of three games the Big Ten Championship against Wisconsin, the Sugar Bowl against Alabama and the national championship game against Oregon Elliott rushed for 696 yards and eight touchdowns https://www.cowboysdaclub.com/taco-charlton-jersey-c-88.html, announcing himself to the football world.

Returning for his junior year, Elliott picked up where he left off following the run to the national championship, rushing for 1,821 and 23 touchdowns. For his efforts, Elliott was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and the league s Most Valuable Player. Following the loss to Michigan State in the penultimate game of the regular season, Elliott announced he would declare for the NFL Draft following the year.

Although running backs had not been highly valued in recent NFL Drafts due to their shorter career lengths, the Cowboys selected Elliott fourth overall in 2016. Playing behind a mammoth offensive line, Elliott rushed for a league best 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns, helping Dallas to a 13 3 record and a return to the playoffs. He was named first team All Pro, to the Pro Football Writers Association All Rookie team and to his first Pro Bowl, but the Offensive Rookie of the Year award went to Cowboy teammate Dak Prescott.


Elliott faced tumultuous times in the offseason before his second professional year. He was accused of domestic violence by an ex girlfriend, was videotaped pulling down a woman s shirt at a party and received a speeding ticket for going well over the speed limit. Elliott was initially suspended for the first six games of the 2017 season for violating the NFL s personal conduct policy. The running back appealed the decision and the NFL Players Association eventually got an injunction, allowing Elliot to play at the start of the year.

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After plenty of appeals, stays and injunctions, Elliott eventually accepted his six game suspension. The running back returned for Dallas in Week 16 Charles Tapper Jersey, rushing for 97 yards. Without Elliott for those six games though, the Cowboys missed out on the playoffs. In his second year, Elliott finished with 983 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.

With troubles behind him, Elliott believes he is ready to return to the form of his rookie season in 2018, hoping to climb even higher on the NFL s top 100 list heading into next year with his performances for Dallas.