Ezekiel Elliott will turn 25-years old before the regular season begins. He was born in Alton, Illinois, to two athletic parents. His father (Stacy) played defensive end and linebacker while his mother (Dawn) competed in the heptathlon as student-athletes at the University of Missouri.

In high school, Elliot was not only athletically driven but even more so academically. He played in four different sports, including football, basketball, baseball, and ran track. He was a star running back for the John Burroughs football team and, in his junior year, won offensive player of the year, after rushing for 1,802 yards, 34 touchdowns as well as catching 23 passes for 401 yards and six scores.

Elliot took his senior season to another level, where he rushed for over 2,100 yards and 50 total touchdowns. Elliot led his football team to three straight state championships, unfortunately losing all three.

Elliot also stood out as a track and field athlete, where he was elite in sprinting and hurdling. He recorded several state championships in Missouri and won Gatorade track athlete of the year for his state.

By the time he finished high school, he was considered a four-star recruit by ESPN and listed as the 11th running back in the nation in 2013. He chose Ohio State even though his parent's alma mater Missouri gave him an offer.

Elliot served as back up to starter Carlos Hyde as a true freshman at Ohio State but also served as a governor on special teams. With Hyde heading to the NFL in 2014, Elliot took over as the starter and had an impressive season.

In 15 games, he ran for almost 1,900 yards, 18 touchdowns, as well as catching 28 passes for 220 yards. Elliot was also impressive in the Sugar Bowl against the number one ranked team in the country Alabama. He ran for over 230 yards on 20 carries. In the National Championship versus Oregon, he put up 246 yards on 36 carries and scor…