SS, Kevin Ellison, USC

SS, Kevin Ellison, USC

Pros:  Chiseled athlete who certainly looks the part. ... Steady, dependable player who graduated a semester early from high school to enroll at Southern Cal. ... Signed with USC as a running back and was so physical and instinctive that the staff considered him at linebacker before moving him to strong safety.

Cons:  Lacks the preferred straight-line speed for the position. ... Not the same player in coverage that he is in run support or as a hitter over the middle. ... Too often plays the man and not the ball.

Styg's Broncos Fit:  High-character player with injury issues but consistent production and steady growth.  Exceptionally physical and can intimidate players over the middle, and is a sure-handed tackler who is impressive in run support.  No straight speed to speak of, but adequate quickness.  Has a safety's attitude and is willing to sacrifice himself to make the stop.  Doesn't allow many big plays to get past him, part of playing for a defense good enough to recover and get 3-and-outs.  May be undervalued because of the players he was around.  Could possibly move to LB.

Around MHR:

Around SBNation:

From Conquest Chronicles:

This one is kind of tough because just about every major SC draft prospect has been talked about ad nauseum, so let's look at a less hyped player that has kind of fallen off the radar thanks to late season injuries: Kevin Ellison. Taylor Mays may get all the hype, but many fans and close followers of the team think Ellison is just as good of a player. Although he doesn't have a single stat that really jumps out and wows you, he boasts a very solid body of work with decent numbers in INTs, tackles for loss, and pass breakups. In addition his size (6'1", 220 lbs) and speed will give him an edge in the transition to the NFL.

From "2009 Safeties" at Mocking the Draft:

Utilized mostly to help against the run in college, Ellison is a physical safety who is an asset at the line of scrimmage. In coverage, he struggles due to a lack of speed.

From Field Gulls:

A 4.88 40-yard dash will not help his cause.

Ouch. Quite a few defensive ends ran significantly quicker than that. Hell, 288 pound freak-of-nature Jarron Gilbert beat that by a hundredth of a second.

Highlights:

Scouting Reports and Offsite Links:

• Has the build of a linebacker and plays with a mean streak over the middle of the field. Loves to attack downhill and is a force vs. the run game. Displays good footwork and short-area quickness for his size. Possess good instincts and awareness deep, seldomly gets beat over the top down the field. Takes great angles in the pass game and consistently dislodges ball from man on contact. An old-school, intimidating force at the second level.  [see more...]
• Steady, no-nonsense strong safety ended his career with 34 starts and earning first-team All-Pac-10 honors after each of the past two seasons. An instinctive defender, Ellison has morphed into a coach on the field for the Trojans. While every other member of the USC defensive backfield is superior as an all-around athlete, Ellison, who was lightly recruited out of high school, makes up for a lack of eye-popping measureables with intelligence, physicality and a penchant for making the big play. Of concern to scouts, is whether Ellison has the straight-line speed to handle the transition to the NFL, especially considering the three knee operations he's undergone while at USC.  [see more...]
• Ellison is an incredibly physical safety prospect for the Southern California Trojans. He is known for his crushing hits on opposing receivers, but he is also a veracious hitter and does great in run support. A great NFL comparison would be Roy Williams of the Dallas Cowboys. He has below average speed for his position, but makes up for the deficiency in run support. He will struggle when matched up in man to man coverage with receivers and faster tight ends in the NFL.  [see more...]