He had to wait out a twelve-year stay on the ballot, but St. John’s football legend Blake Elliott finally got word in January he’ll be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.

The enshrinement ceremony for the College Hall’s Class of 2025 will be held in Las Vegas this December.

Elliott played wide receiver on the St. John’s 2003 National Championship team. He also won the Gagliardi Trophy as the national Division III Player of the Year that season and earned an invitation to Vikings training camp the following summer.

Elliott is the first St. John’s player to be elected to the CFB Hall of Fame. He joins his legendary Johnnies head coach John Gagliardi in the Hall.

Click the video box at the top of this page to watch KSTP’s story about Blake Elliott’s entry into the College Football Hall of Fame including how he received the news he’d been elected, and a premonition one of his children had the night before

Today, Elliott runs a company he founded called Everyday Living – a foster care system for adults with special needs. He decided to found the company after seeing the challenges his younger brother faced after suffering a traumatic brain injury in a car accident.

Notes on Elliott’s career from the National Football Foundation – sponsor of the College Football Hall of Fame:

A three-time First Team All-MIAC selection who led the Johnnies to three MIAC titles (2001-03), Elliott holds the NCAA record for all divisions with a record of 47 consecutive games with a reception. He ended his career ranked second in DIII history for both receptions (327) and touchdown receptions (56) with the marks respectively ranking second and third across all divisions at the time. His career receiving yards (4,200) and all-purpose yards (7,605), rank fourth and fifth, respectively, in DIII history. He holds the NCAA playoff record for receptions in a tournament with 41 and the longest punt return at 89 yards.
 
Elliott holds 26 school records, including career receiving yards (4,829), touchdowns receptions (63), 100-yard receiving games (22), career punt returns yards (1,459), punt touchdown returns (6) and all-purpose yards (8,635).

Notes on Elliott’s college career, courtesy of St. John’s Athletics:

Elliott – a Melrose Area High School graduate – ended his career with three NCAA playoff records, two MIAC records and 29 SJU receiving records. Elliott, who was also a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy in 2002, was invited to play in both the AFCA Aztec Bowl and Hula Bowl following the 2003 season. His NCAA all-divisions record for consecutive games played with a reception (47) was not broken until 2008.

He finished his career second all-time in all NCAA divisions in catches (327) and second in NCAA Division III in touchdown receptions (56). Elliott posted 369 receptions for 4,826 yards and 63 touchdowns in his career, as well as rushing for 744 yards and eight touchdowns on 109 carries (prior to the 2002 season, the NCAA did not recognize playoff-game stats in season or career totals). 

Elliott was just as dangerous on special teams, totaling 3,065 yards and seven touchdowns on 195 returns, kickoff and punt combined.

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