Transfer Ellis Back 'Where I Need To Be,' Bringing The 'Total Package' To College Park
It seems that Maryland has opened up a pipeline to Blacksburg, Va. Joining Virginia Tech transfers Josh Jackson and Sean Savoy in College Park, Md., is slot receiver DeJuan Ellis, who just committed to the Terps during a campus visit Aug. 21.
The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder spent one redshirt season at Tech and will likely have to sit out the 2019 campaign per NCAA transfer rules. He will be a redshirt sophomore with three years of eligibility remaining.
“I’m happy to be home,” said the Accokeek, Md., native (Prince George’s County), who played his high school ball at Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) and McDonogh (Owings Mills, Md.). “I just wasn’t feeling it down at Tech with the environment and the coaches. We just weren’t clicking. But Coach [Mike] Locksley at Maryland has always had my back. I’m excited to be a Terp.”
Ellis informed the Hokies’ staff he’d be entering the transfer portal in early August. He said the coaches were “not too happy” considering fall camp had already begun and preparations for the season were in order.
The hometown Terps immediately became a possibility. Ellis said he heard from UMD assistant Cory Robinson, who had developed a relationship with the DMV prospect while the coach was at Rutgers and Temple. A few other programs contacted Ellis as well, but he wanted to check out Maryland first and foremost.
“When Maryland offered me, that got everything rolling pretty quickly. Coach Cory was a huge help to me and has really helped me along, even when I was in high school,” Ellis said. “Same with Coach Locks – just a great guy who has been very supportive. So after I heard from them, I set up a visit.”
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That visit took place the afternoon of Aug. 21. Less than four hours later, Ellis had let Locksley know he wanted into his program.
“Maryland is home. I know most of the players there already, and they were all coming up to me saying what’s up,” Ellis said. “I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time. Then talking to Coach Locks, he was so excited for me. He said he’s always wanted me as a player and can’t wait to start coaching me.”
Ellis hadn’t been in College Park since before his junior year at O’Connell. Naturally, he noticed plenty of changes at the local university.
“The new facilities there are some of the best I’ve seen. Everything there looks great. And with all the construction, I could barely find a place to park,” laughed Ellis, who mainly played quarterback in high school. “But the main change is just the culture. Coach Locksley has just changed the whole mindset there throughout the program. It’s something I wanted to be apart of.”
The speedy slot, who clocks in with a sub-4.4 40-yard dash, said the staff definitely wants him on offense. But Ellis can play corner, safety and slot-corner as well.
“Man, as long as I’m on the field I’ll play wherever – receiver, corner, safety and even quarterback,” Ellis said. “But as a receiver I feel I’m dynamic, fast and explosive with the ball in my hands. I feel I see the whole field and have really good vision. I think I can make a big impact in Maryland’s offense.”
Ellis, who spent his senior year at McDonogh, was a class of 2018 recruit who committed to the Hokies in August of 2016, two years before he graduated. Tech wanted Ellis as a dual-threat quarterback, and, for all intents and purposes, the budding gunslinger was pleased with his early decision. He stayed steadfast on his commitment for almost a year -- even as more schools came after him, most wanting him as an “athlete.” (The Terps were actually Ellis’ very first scholarship offer when the Randy Edsall regime anted up in 2015. UMD sought Ellis as a defensive back).
But then in early May of 2017 Ellis started to waver as programs such as Penn State, Syracuse and UMD pressed for him to visit. The Terps, with ex-assistant Aazaar Abdul-Rahim running point, had Ellis’ ear. Maryland and Abdul-Rahim felt Ellis could aid them as a corner, safety or nickelback.
The former McDonogh star was intrigued enough that he decommitted from the Hokies on May 2. But he quickly re-upped three days later because the staff assured they’d allow him to play quarterback.
“At the time I felt it was the right decision. I stuck by Tech, and I did OK down there,” Ellis said. “But when you get switched from quarterback right away, and then you’re getting used to playing receiver, it’s totally different. It’s one thing to do that in high school, but in college it’s full speed every play -- and then you’re not just running routes and catching, but you’re blocking too. It took some getting used to and I just wasn’t feeling it down there.
“But I feel like I did learn something and now I’m where I need to be. I’ve got the whole package now and I’m ready to prove myself.”