Big year for Althoff QB kicks off with a full-ride offer. Expect more to come
Jayden Ellington was in his social studies class last week when he got a knock at the door and a message: “Coach wants to see you.”
Uh-oh, thought the Althoff Catholic junior quarterback. What did I do to get pulled out of class?
But there was no trouble — only good news.
“Congratulations,” Althoff coaches, led by Austin Frazier, told Ellington. “You’ve just received a full-ride offer to play football at Miami (Ohio).”
“I won’t lie. I cried. I was just so happy,” Ellington said. “It also happened on my dad’s birthday.”
Ellington returned to class, but, understandably, had a hard time focusing on the rest of the social studies lesson.
If Ellington leaves class every time he receives another Division I football offer, he may never get any schoolwork done. The buzz continues to build for the third-year starting quarterback of the defending Class 1A state champion Crusaders, who opened their title defense with a 34-13 win over Alton last weekend.
Ellington, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound quarterback who also plays cornerback and safety, has drawn interest from Illinois, Kansas, Ball State, Iowa State, Michigan State and Indiana. More offers are likely if he continues his upward trajectory.
In the opener against Alton, Ellington completed 14 of 16 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 109 yards. Last season, he completed 110 of 152 passes (72 percent) for 2,008 yards, 33 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
Ellington points to Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson as a role model — a player who can throw accurately and be a dangerous runner.
Some recruiters have questions about Ellington’s size at quarterback, but 5-11 isn’t considered undersized, and he may still have another growth spurt ahead. He’s not concerned either way.
“I’m a dog anyway,” said Ellington, who carried a 3.15 GPA last year at Althoff. “I can do anything. I can score, play defense, whatever is needed.”
Althoff head coach Austin Frazier said Ellington will naturally take on a bigger role in the Crusaders’ offense following the graduation of 2024 MaxPreps Illinois Player of the Year Dierre Hill Jr., now at Oregon.
“This is going to be a monster year for him, where he’s going to get more attention — and deservedly so,” Frazier said. “I think, in general, he’s stayed pretty grounded with all that. But he’s been a two-year starter for us with some big personalities on the team, and he’s started to come into his own as a leader this year.”
Ellington gained almost 20 pounds of muscle in the offseason and recently set a personal best with a 265-pound bench press. Frazier said Ellington is noticeably stronger and uses that power on the field.
“I don’t want to go into college small,” Ellington said.
Ellington attended East St. Louis schools through eighth grade before enrolling at Althoff Catholic. He could have played for the powerhouse Flyers at the Class 6A level but felt Althoff was a better fit. As with Hill, Ellington knows some will doubt his Division I potential because Althoff is a smaller school in a smaller league.
But with the Miami (Ohio) offer in hand, Ellington believes more offers will follow — if he continues to excel.
“I know what I can do against anybody,” Ellington said. “I’ve just got to keep growing as a player and a person, keep getting better. But I knew (receiving Division I offers) was going to happen since about the eighth grade. I just love the game.”
Ellington credits his parents, Thurman and Destiny, for keeping him on track, especially with academics.
“My mom, she’s a football mom,” Ellington said. “She put me in quarterback training going into seventh grade. And if I don’t get my homework done, she’s on me. I’m lucky to have great parents.”
