Former Delmar football player makes it to the NFL

A local guy making it at the highest level of his sport. Once a star quarterback at Delmar High school, Alex Ellis has now earned himself a spot on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad.

Delmar Head Coach David Hearn says it’s beneficial for everyone.
 
“He’s just a great role model for our two schools, for this entire community and Salisbury, everyone in the area, he’s one of those they can see he’s one of us,” explains Hearn.

Better known as Skitter, Ellis started under center for Delmar his junior and senior years before moving on to the University of Tennessee. By the time he graduated, he was a scholarship player. After college, Skitter took the logical next step, trying to prove himself at the professional level. He was first signed by the Titans and now the Jaguars.

Hearn says his success is because of two things: hard work and perseverance.

“Its just fantastic. Its one of those Rudy stories but even better cause he didn’t just get to play one play at the end of his senior year, he played and scored touchdowns, the whole deal. He’s lived the dreams a far as a Delmar football player,” says Hearn.

Despite Skitter’s successes, he hasn’t lost touch of where it all began. Ellis trained with the Delmar football team this summer. Coach Hearn says it means a lot, it’s not everyday that freshmen and sophomores get to workout with an NFL player.

“That helps motivate some other kids come out and see look at this. He’s busting his tail, he’s working hard, he’s already at a certain level. There’s no being satisfied with that, so he’s a great role model in just about anything.”

And it certainly motivated senior quarterback Jimmy Adkins.

Adkins says, “He always keeps my motivation going. Like I see everybody thinks Delmar is a small town, nobody can do anything, and he proved them all wrong.”