Ezekiel Elliott has been busy.
A junior running back at John Burroughs, Elliott, 16, had received seven scholarship offers as of Sunday night over the past two weeks. He spent last weekend racking up mileage in a rental car with his family traveling to Junior Day events at Missouri and Ohio State.
"It's a little bit crazy, but I'm just happy that things are picking up some," said Elliott, who lives in Alton. "I'm trying to make as many visits as I can so I can narrow it down."
A 6-foot, 200-pounder who also plays basketball and runs track, Elliott received his first scholarship offer on Jan. 31.
"The day before National Signing Day I got my first offer from Arkansas," Elliott said. "On National Signing Day I got offered from Illinois. Then, that Friday, I got offered by Iowa and Nebraska. Then I went down to Mizzou and got offered there and went to Ohio State and got offered there. (Monday), I got an offer from Northwestern."
Elliott, who has emerged as the area's top junior football prospect, had a breakout season this fall when he led the Bombers to a 13-2 record and their second straight Class 3 runner-up finish. He was named a Post-Dispatch All-Metro first-team selection.
Elliott finished the season with 2,203 total yards -- including 1,802 rushing -- and an area-best 42 touchdowns.
Now he is in demand as a prospect. He said coaches like his versatility as both a runner and a pass-catcher out of the backfield.
He also has impressive bloodlines. His father, Stacy Elliott, was a four-year letter-winner (1989-92) as an outside linebacker at the University of Missouri. His mother, Dawn Huff Elliott, ran track for the Tigers.
Elliott and his family visited Missouri on Saturday for the Tigers' Junior Day event, which included Mizzou's basketball win against Baylor. On that day, he received a scholarship offer from football coach Gary Pinkel.
"It was nice," he said. "Exciting for the family."
After leaving Columbia, the family headed East to Ohio State where new Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer extended an offer.
"He's a great guy, very outgoing," Elliott said. "He's ready to win there at Ohio State. He's ready to win a national championship."
Elliott's recruiting adventures are just getting started. He has more unofficial visits scheduled for the next few weeks.
"I'm visiting Nebraska this weekend," he said. "Then I'm going to Illinois the weekend after that. Then I'm going to Arkansas on March 3rd. I'm going to try to make some spring practices."
Elliott is just beginning the process of trying to find the right fit, which includes a college that would allow him to run track, as well. He's the reigning Class 3 state champion in the 110 hurdles and was runner-up in the 300 hurdles. At AAU Nationals last summer, he won the 400 hurdles and was second in the 110s.
Elliott said each of the schools, except for Northwestern, that has offered him a scholarship allows its football players to run track. Northwestern does not have a track program.
The recruiting process is just getting going for the Bombers' playmaker, who is in no hurry to make a decision.
"I'm just going to take my time and take as many unofficial visits as I can to see what each school is about," Elliott said. "Then I want to take my official visits in the fall. I plan to take as much time as I need. If it takes up until Signing Day next year, then that's how long it will take. There's no rush."
JUNIOR PITCHER PLEDGES TO MISSOURI
Hazelwood West junior right-handed pitcher Devin Williams recently made a verbal commitment to Missouri, becoming the second area junior to pledge to the Tigers in recent weeks.
"I just didn't see any place that would be a better fit for me than Mizzou," Williams said. "And with them going to the SEC, that really helped, too."
Williams (6-3, 155) said he also considered Nebraska, Missouri State, Mississippi and Indiana State.
One of the reasons the hard-throwing righthander picked Mizzou was the Tigers' history with producing pitchers who are high draft picks, including first-round selections Max Scherzer (Arizona, 2006), Aaron Crow (Washington, 2008; Kansas City, 2009) and Kyle Gibson (Minnesota, 2009).
"That was really one of the biggest selling points," he said. "They've had three (first-round picks) in the last five or six years."
Williams, who transferred from CBC to Hazelwood West before his junior year, threw only four innings on the Cadets' varsity team last season as a sophomore. He allowed four runs (one earned) on eight hits over four innings, struck out four batters and walked one.
At a Perfect Game event over the weekend, Williams was consistently clocked around 87-89 miles per hour with his fastball and topped out at 90. Scouts look at his tall-but-slender frame and can be certain he will add strength as he fills out over the next few years, which could help his velocity climb into the mid-90s.
Williams is the second area junior to commit to the Tigers in recent weeks. He follows Vianney catcher Jack Klages, who is one of his teammates in the St. Louis Pirates organization.
CBC'S PENTON MAKES PLEDGE
CBC junior Aarion Penton committed to Missouri on Saturday, becoming the area's first junior football player to make a college commitment.
A 5-10, 175-pound athlete who could play cornerback, wide receiver or running back in college, Penton made his pledge during the Missouri basketball team's 72-57 win against Baylor at Mizzou Arena.
"At halftime I told (Gary Pinkel) I wanted to be a Mizzou Tiger, and he offered me," Penton said.
The speedy Penton had a breakout performance this fall, helping the Cadets to a 13-1 record, Metro Catholic Conference championship and the school's second runner-up finish in Missouri's Class 6.
He was the Cadets' leading wide receiver, with 40 catches for 842 yards and 13 scores, and finished with 1,144 total yards and 18 touchdowns, including one return score. He also had 51 tackles and two interceptions.
FOOTBALL JUNIORS PICKING UP OFFERS
It has been a busy time for several area junior football prospects.
Fort Zumwalt South junior running back-defensive back Chase Abbington has picked up seven offers, according to Rivals.com, from Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska and UCLA.
O'Fallon wide receiver-defensive back Darius Mosley picked up three offers last Thursday, from Central Michigan, Iowa and Illinois.
Althoff defensive tackle Merrick Jackson picked up offers from Missouri and Iowa, according to Scout.com.
Summit linebacker Eric Beisel received an offer from Missouri at the Tigers' Junior Day, according to PowerMizzou.com.
Maplewood-Richmond Heights coach Brandon Gregory said his two-way lineman, Antar Thompson, has received offers from Missouri and Kansas State and has received recent interest from Alabama.
FOOTBALL COMBINE SET FOR SATURDAY
The 2012 St. Louis Rams Elite Football Combine will be Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Russell Training Center in Earth City.
The combine, which is open to athletes in the junior, sophomore, freshmen and eighth-grade classes, costs $85 and is set up with testing similar to the NFL Combine, including position-specific drills.
Combine director Matt Biermann of Elite Football Academy said there have been more than 250 early registrations. For more information, visit www.ShowMeCombine.com.
