Scarlet Sunrise: After one season in New England, Ezekiel Elliott returning to Dallas
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After one season in New England, Ezekiel Elliott returning to Dallas
Ezekiel Elliott is headed back to Dallas, where he became a three-time Pro Bowl running back and carried over his stardom from Ohio State.
The Cowboys have agreed to terms with Elliott, according to NFL Network insiders Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, who reported that the transaction will become official after Elliott completes his physical this week.
Elliott’s return to Dallas follows his one-season stint with the New England Patriots. He led a struggling Patriots offense with 642 rushing yards but averaged just 3.5 yards per carry — a career low — and scored only three times on the ground. That said, Elliott added 313 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns on 51 catches. He ranked fifth on the team in receiving yards, but no Patriots player finished the 2023 campaign with more receptions than Elliott.
While Elliott also rushed for fewer than 4.0 yards per carry during the final leg of his initial seven-year run in Dallas, he still ran for 876 yards and 12 scores that year.
Elliott’s most success, however, came during his first six years in the league. The former No. 4 overall pick eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing barrier four different seasons, three of which he ran for 10 or more touchdowns.
Arguably his best season was his first. Both he and then-fellow-rookie Dak Prescott hit the ground running. Elliott did so quite literally, earning first-team All-Pro honors after rushing for 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns, not to mention his 32 grabs for 363 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.
Elliott led the NFL in rushing that season despite playing in only 15 games. He also wore the crown as the NFL’s top rusher in 2018 when he was named second-team All-Pro.
At Ohio State, Elliott cemented himself in Buckeyes lore with an all-time College Football Playoff resume. He rushed for 230 yards, including his 85 yards “through the heart of the South,” in an upset Sugar Bowl win over No. 1 Alabama. Then he piled up 246 yards and four touchdowns on the ground in a national championship victory over Oregon.
Dating back to the Big Ten Championship game that season, Elliott posted three straight 200-plus-yard rushing performances to end a historic run.
He rushed for at least 1,800 yards each of his final two years at Ohio State, where he clocked out as the program’s second-leading rusher all-time, behind only Archie Griffin. After that, though, J.K. Dobbins surpassed Elliott for that runner-up title.
Ohio State safety Ja’Had Carter enters transfer portal
Ohio State safety Ja’Had Carter entered the transfer portal Sunday night, according to On3’s Pete Nakos. Carter spent only one season with the Buckeyes after serving as a three-year starter at Syracuse, where he became an All-ACC performer.
Injuries during last year’s spring season and last year’s regular season hurt Carter’s chances of making an impact in scarlet and gray.
Although Carter arrived at Ohio State with significant experience, Josh Proctor putting everything together in Year 6 and Malik Hartford’s true freshman ascent overshadowed Carter’s presence at free safety.
Factor in the transfer addition of former Alabama star Caleb Downs this offseason, and the path to playing time got even murkier for Carter, who has just one year of eligibility left.
For more on Carter, go here.
Handing out superlatives for Buckeyes 2024 NFL Draft picks
Ohio State had only four players picked in this year’s NFL Draft, the program’s fewest draft selections since 2013. Still, there were enough former Buckeyes standouts to hear their names called that Lettermen Row put together a list of superlatives for those selections.
We’re talking highest ceiling, highest floor, best fit and biggest late-round steal.
Check it out here.
Counting Down
Buckeyes vs. Akron: 126 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 217 days
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