The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
2017 Football Roster
Roster
DeShon Elliott
- Position:
- DB
- Height:
- 6-2
- Hometown:
- Rockwall, Texas
- Weight:
- 210
- Class:
- Junior
- High School:
- Rockwall-Heath
- Major:
- Corporate Communication
A three-year safety who declared for the NFL Draft after his junior season ... was a finalist for the 2017 Jim Thorpe Award ... played in 31 career games with 13 starts … named a unanimous first team All-American (AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCFF) ... named a unanimous first team All-Big 12 selection in 2017 by the coaches and was also a first team All-Big 12 pick by the Associated Press ... earned his first career Big 12 Conference Defensive Player (Sept. 18, 2017) of the Week honor for his performance at USC ... was named Jim Thorpe Award National Player of the Week (Oct. 4, 2017) and Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 2, 2017) for his efforts at Iowa State ... became the first player since Earl Thomas (2009) at UT with an interception in three straight games ... the only Longhorn dating back to 1947 with two interceptions in back-to-back games ... joins Chris Carter (1993-96) as the only players at UT since 1947 with three career multi-interception games ... had two interceptions returned for a touchdown in 2017, tied with teammate Holton Hill (2017) and five others for the school-record in a single season in UT history ... an all-state performer as a senior in high school ... currently has nine career interceptions and 156 return yards (seventh UT history).
JUNIOR (2017)
Was a Jim Thorpe Award finalist, awarded annually to the nation's best defensive back, who played in and started all 12 games this season for UT ... named a unanimous first team All-American (AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCFF) ... named a unanimous first team All-Big 12 selection in 2017 by the coaches and was also a first team All-Big 12 pick by the Associated Press ... has six interceptions on the season, tied for seventh-most in school history and the most since 2009 (Earl Thomas - 8; Blake Gideon - 6) ... his 127 return yards are the fourth-most in school history for a single season (record is 160 set by Jack Crain in 1940) ... started his second career game in the season opener against Maryland ... had four tackles (two solo) ... started in a 56-0 win against San Jose State in week two and had one tackle in the victory ... was named Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts at No. 4/4 USC ... totaled seven tackles (five solo), one tackle for loss, two interceptions and two pass breakups ... returned the first interception 38 yards for a touchdown ... returned the second one 24 yards into USC territory ... also had a key stop on third-and-goal, stopping the USC running back short of the goal line ... named Jim Thorpe Award National Player of the Week and Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week after totaling six tackles, a sack and two interceptions in a 17-7 win at Iowa State ... had six tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one-half sack and one interception in the double-overtime win against Kansas State ... became the first player since Earl Thomas (2009) at UT with an interception in three straight games ... is the only Longhorn dating back to 1947 with two interceptions in back-to-back games ... joins Chris Carter (1993-96) as the only players at UT since 1947 with three career multi-interception games ... had six tackles (five solo) and a forced fumble in the AT&T Red River Showdown against Oklahoma ... finished with two tackles and one-half tackle for loss against No. 10/11 Oklahoma State ... also had a forced fumble and a fumble recovery ... helped the defense hold Oklahoma State's nation-leading offense to 13 points, it's lowest output since 2014 ... helped hold Biletnikoff finalist James Washington (OSU) to just four catches for 42 yards and no scores ... also held Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph out of the end zone and the Cowboys 129.2 passing yards below their season average ... set a career high with eight tackles and also intercepted a pass and returned in 43 yards for a touchdown in a 38-7 win at Baylor ... became the second Longhorn this season, and just the seventh ever, to return two interceptions for a touchdown in a season ... totaled five tackles and a career-high two tackles for loss as the Longhorns' defense held a potent TCU offense to just 343 yards (166 passing) in a 24-7 setback to the No. 8 (CFP) Horned Frogs ... tied for the team lead with seven tackles (all solo) in a 42-27 win against Kansas ... matched his career high with two tackles for loss and also had a forced fumble and a pass breakup in the victory over the Jayhawks ... had five tackles and a touchdown-saving pass breakup in the Longhorns' victory at No. 24/25 West Virginia ... held the potent Mountaineer offense to 56 rushing and 295 total yards and just seven offensive points in UT's 28-14 win ... held Biletnikoff finalist David Sills (WVU), who entered with 18 receiving touchdowns, to just two catches for 47 yards and no touchdowns ... registered six solo tackles and a career-best four pass breakups against Texas Tech.
SOPHOMORE (2016)
Played in 12 games with one start (Kansas) ... made 30 tackles (24 solo) with three tackles for loss and a sack ... had an interception and four pass breakups ... recovered two fumbles ... played significant snaps in the season-opener against No. 10 Notre Dame ... had three tackles (2 solo, 1 assisted) and a pass breakup ... had a career-best game to date in a 41-7 week two win over UTEP ... made a career-high five tackles, his first career sack and also recovered a fumble ... recorded three total tackles against OU (two solo, one assist) ... had 4 tackles and tied a career high of one tackle for a loss of 1 yard against Iowa State ... had three tackles against Kansas State ... had one tackle against Baylor ... had five total tackles against Texas Tech, four solo and one assist ... also had two broken up passes ... had six total tackles against Kansas, five of them solo ... also had one tackle for a loss of three yards, one broken up pass, and one fumble recovery for four yards ... had his first interception of the season, which he returned for 24 yards, against TCU.
FRESHMAN (2015)
Played in seven games on defense and special teams after missing fall camp and the early part of the season with an injury … recorded 13 tackles (11 solo), two INTs, one forced fumble and one PBU … the two INTs tied for fifth on the UT freshman single-season list … played his first game against Oklahoma and registered two tackles and one forced fumble … the forced fumble on a kickoff return led to a TD drive that gave Texas a 14-0 lead … made one tackle versus Kansas State … against Kansas, had three tackles and became just the second true freshman in UT history to record two INTs in a game (Chris Carter, vs. SMU, 1993) … posted three tackles at West Virginia … set a season high with four tackles and one PBU against Baylor.
HIGH SCHOOL
Coached by Mickey Moss at Rockwall-Heath High School … an all-state and two-time all-district honoree … selected to participate in the 2015 Under Armour All-America Game … named third-team 5A All-State by the Texas Sports Writers Association, and honorable mention by the Associated Press in 2014 … chosen first-team All-Area by the Dallas Morning News … tabbed unanimous first-team All-District 12-5A … rated No. 97 (No. 5 safety) nationally and No. 13 in Texas by ESPN … ranked No. 202 (No. 16 safety) nationally and No. 32 (No. 4 safety) in Texas by Scout … rated No. 24 safety nationally and No. 60 in Texas by 247Sports … ranked No. 25 at safety and No. 40 overall in Texas by Rivals … rated No. 7 safety in the state by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football … placed No. 18 on the Fab 55 by the Austin American-Statesman … despite missing two games, finished second on the team with 81 tackles, which was one shy of the team lead as a senior … was also second with three interceptions, including one returned for a TD, while adding two tackles for loss, five passes defended and one forced fumble … caught 15 passes for 226 yards and three TDs … also returned seven punts with a 10.9-yard average … part of a defense that registered three shutouts during the season … helped Heath to a 10-3 record, including a 6-1 district record, and an appearance in the 5A regional playoffs in 2014 … named 2014 preseason second-team Super Team by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football … chosen second-team All-District 12-5A as a linebacker in 2013 … ranked second on the team with 66 tackles to go along with four sacks, three interceptions and three forced fumbles as a junior … helped Heath to a 6-4 record in 2013 … totaled 23 tackles and one interception as a sophomore … helped Heath to a 6-5 record and the bidistrict playoffs in 2012.
PERSONAL
Born in Dallas, Texas … has lived in Rockwall, Texas, since the start of high school … parents are Tiffany and Arme Elliott … has two sisters, Antinece and Taylor.
CAREER HIGHS
Points scored: 6, at Baylor, Oct 28, 2017 ; at USC, Sep 16, 2017
Touchdowns: 1, at Baylor, Oct 28, 2017 ; at USC, Sep 16, 2017
All-purpose yards: 62, at USC, Sep 16, 2017
Interceptions: 2 [t-1st], Kansas, Nov 07, 2015 ; at USC, Sep 16, 2017 ; at Iowa State, Sep 28, 2017
Long interception return: 43 [t-8th], at Baylor, Oct 28, 2017
Tackles: 8, at Baylor, Oct 28, 2017 (7-1)
Sacks: 1.0, UTEP, Sep 10, 2016 (1-0); at Iowa State, Sep 28, 2017 (1-0)
Tackles for loss: 2.0, at TCU, Nov 04, 2017 (2-0); Kansas, Nov 11, 2017 (2-0)
Fumbles forced: 1 [t-5th], 4 times
Fumbles recovered: 1 [t-5th], at Kansas, Nov 19, 2016 ; Oklahoma State, Oct 21, 2017 ; UTEP, Sep 10, 2016
Pass breakups: 4 [t-2nd], Texas Tech, Nov 24, 2017
