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January 15, 2025 • 2 min read
Former Saint John’s University All-American Blake Elliott will soon take his place among the elite in college football history.
The standout wide receiver from Melrose High School, who led the Johnnies to the 2003 NCAA Division III title and ended his career ranked among the career receiving leaders in all divisions of college football, was named to the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class on Wednesday, Jan. 15.
The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame made the announcement live during the “College Football Live” program on ESPN.
A 2019 inductee into the SJU J-Club’s Hall of Honor, Elliott joins his head coach, SJU’s legendary John Gagliardi, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame’s 2006 class, the winningest coach in college football history and the namesake of the Gagliardi Trophy, presented to Division III’s most outstanding player each season.
“It’s incredibly humbling,” said Elliott, a three-time All-American, two-time MIAC Player of the Year and the 2003 winner of the Gagliardi Trophy.
“It’s still a little hard to believe. But something like this doesn’t happen without a lot of other amazing people doing amazing things alongside you. If Saint John’s had gone 5-5 every year I played there, none of this would be possible. I was lucky to play with incredibly talented teammates, and to play for a coach like John (Gagliardi), whose own accomplishments got so much deserved attention and acclaim.”
Elliott is the first College Football Hall of Fame inductee from the NCAA Division III level since John Carroll linebacker London Fletcher – a 16-year veteran of the NFL – earned the honor in 2019.
For more on Elliott’s selection, visit gojohnnies.com.
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