Up Close & Personal: Dvon Ellies
When asked about his strengths on the football field, Dvon Ellies politely declined to answer.
“I think I know what I do well, but I don’t want to speak on my game,” he said.
Because that’s not him. For Ellies, praising his own game and breaking down his success would be two steps outside his comfort zone. The Penn State signee oozes humility – a remarkable trait for such an accomplished young athlete.
Ellies, rated a three-star prospect by Rivals.com, collected 72 tackles, including 17 sacks, during his senior season at the McDonogh School. The 6-foot-1, 288- pound prospect from Burtonsville, Md., received offers from 21 programs, including Ohio State, USC and Florida. But you would never know from talking to him.
“I’m like a family guy,” he said. “Family is really big to me, especially in the Samoan culture. There are a lot of things that a lot of people will begin to find out. I’m not open with everything, but over time they’ll see I’m a charismatic person.”
Born in Hawaii, Ellies' Samoan heritage is an important part of his life. When he earned an invite to the Polynesian Bowl in January, the symmetry was too perfect for him to resist. In the weeks leading up to the game, he had already verbally committed to the Penn State coaching staff but hadn’t announced his intentions publicly.
Celebrating his culture along with some of the best players in high school football, Ellies decided the Polynesian Bowl offered the ideal stage to announce his commitment. Flanked by his family in the same island chain where he was born, he donned a Penn State cap to announce his commitment on live television.
“When I first got the Poly Bowl invite, I kind of figured I wanted to announce there,” he said. “It was a surreal feeling.”
In chatting with Ellies, it doesn’t take long to realize that he’s about people. Unlike many recruits, he’s not superficial. He values family and friendship. At Penn State, he feels like he’ll have both, and that’s why he chose the Nittany Lions.
“On my official [visit], we never really felt like we were alone. There was always a member of the coaching staff,” Ellis said. “There was always somebody there who was engaging with my family, laughing with my family.
“I felt as though the family orientation they have would ground me. They’re going to keep it real with me. That was really just what I was looking for.”
Ellies is now gearing up to join friend and former high school teammate P.J. Mustipher with the Nittany Lions. Mustipher played in 12 games and compiled 14 total tackles, providing some important depth along the defensive line. Ellies was watching closely, and the Lions should be glad for that.
“That’s like my big bro,” he said.“ I came in as a freshman, he was a sophomore. I just watched him play and the rest of the defensive linemen play and I just learned from him.”
Ellies said he was impressed with how well Mustipher developed in his first season with the Nittany Lions, and his former high school teammate’s experience impacted his decision to come play in Happy Valley. Ellies, after all, has some lofty goals for his own development.
He compared his size and speed to that of a young Aaron Donald, a Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle who has won the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award the past two years. Ellies knows he has a long way to go to get there, and while he may have a humble nature, he also has a quiet sense of confidence in his abilities.
“There are many similarities,” he said. “I don’t have [Donald’s] technique, but I will gain that. Really, it’s just practice, practice, practice. Muscle memory. What they’ve done to develop P.J., for example. P.J.’s game has really excelled and exceeded expectations. Once Coach [Sean] Spencer has the opportunity to work with me and I work with him... I really feel as though it will make a difference.”