Elijah Dotson Wiki: Age, Education, Parents, Career, Biography, Girlfriend, Height & More

Elijah Dotson is a young and talented running back who plays for the Los Angeles Chargers in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2023, after a successful college career at Northern Colorado. He is known for his speed, agility, and versatility as a runner and a receiver.

Contents

Early Life and Education

Dotson was born on January 19, 1999. He took birth in Sacramento, California. He grew up in a football-loving family, as his father, Eric Dotson, played wide receiver at Sacramento State and his uncle, Charles Dotson, played defensive back at Oregon State. Elijah Dotson attended Antelope High School, where he starred as a running back and a defensive back. He rushed for over 4,000 yards and 54 touchdowns in his high school career, earning All-Metro honors and leading his team to two league titles.

Elijah Dotson received several scholarship offers from Division I schools, but he chose to follow his father’s footsteps and play at Sacramento State. He enrolled there in 2017 and majored in business administration. He redshirted his freshman year, but he quickly emerged as one of the best running backs in the Big Sky Conference in his sophomore year. He led the conference with 1,154 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 7.3 yards per carry. He also caught 26 passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns, earning first-team All-Big Sky honors.

Elijah continued to dominate in his junior year, rushing for 1,274 yards and 11 touchdowns, while catching 70 passes for 702 yards and four touchdowns. He broke the school record for most all-purpose yards in a season with 1,976. He was named the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, which is given to the best offensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

His senior year was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which postponed the FCS season to the spring of 2021. Dotson decided to transfer to Northern Colorado, where he could play under former NFL quarterback Ed McCaffrey, who was hired as the head coach in December 2019. Dotson played only four games for Northern Colorado due to injuries, but he still managed to rush for 343 yards and four touchdowns, while catching 15 passes for 139 yards.

Quick Biography / Trivia

College Career

Elijah Dotson played for the Northern Colorado Bears from 2017 to 2022. He was a four-year starter and a two-time team captain. He finished his college career as the school’s all-time leader in rushing yards (4,672), rushing touchdowns (48), all-purpose yards (6,124), and total touchdowns (54). He also set single-season records for rushing yards (1,690) and rushing touchdowns (22) in 2019. He was named to the All-Big Sky Conference First Team three times and was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award in 2019 and 2020. The Walter Payton Award is given annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the FCS.

He also excelled in the classroom, earning Academic All-Big Sky honors four times, and being named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team twice. He graduated from Northern Colorado in December 2022 with a 3.8 GPA.

ALSO READ –

Who is Maia Kealoha (Actress)? Wiki, Movies, Age, Parents, Net worth, School, Bio, and Facts

Maria Francisca Perello Age – Wiki (Rafael Nadal’s Wife), Kids, Parents, Height

Mary Richardson Kennedy Wiki, Death Reason, Age, Parents, Education, Husband & Net Worth

NFL Career

Despite his impressive college resume, Dotson was not selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. However, he received several offers from NFL teams as an undrafted free agent. He chose to sign with the Los Angeles Chargers, who were looking for depth at running back behind Austin Ekeler and Joshua Kelley.

Elijah Dotson impressed the Chargers coaches with his speed, agility, and versatility during training camp and preseason games. He made the final 53-man roster as the third running back and also contributed on special teams. In his NFL debut against the New Orleans Saints on August 20, 2023, Dotson had two carries for nine yards and one catch for seven yards.

Dotson’s role increased as the season progressed, as he became a reliable option for quarterback Justin Herbert in both running and passing situations. He had his breakout game against the Kansas City Chiefs on October 15, 2023, when he rushed for 87 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, while catching six passes for 54 yards and another touchdown. He helped the Chargers upset the Chiefs 31-28 in overtime.

Elijah Dotson finished his rookie season with 612 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 109 carries (5.6 yards per carry), while catching 48 passes for 412 yards and four touchdowns. He ranked second among all rookie running backs in yards from scrimmage (1,024) and touchdowns (10). He was named to the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team and was a candidate for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

Dotson signed a three-year, $2.4 million contract with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in April 2023. He received a $25,000 signing bonus and a $25,000 guaranteed salary for his rookie year.

Family

Elijah Dotson lives in Los Angeles with his dog, Rocky. He is close to his family, especially his parents, Eric and Angela Dotson, who supported him throughout his football journey. He has two older brothers, Eric Jr. and Isaiah, who also played football at Antelope High School.

Dotson is a devout Christian who credits God for his success and talent. He attends church regularly and participates in various community service activities. He is also an avid gamer who enjoys playing video games like Madden NFL and Call of Duty.

Personal Life

Dotson is dating Jasmine Jones, who is also from Sacramento, and attended Sacramento State with him. They have been together since 2018 and share a passion for football. Jones is a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Elijah Dotson is very close to his family, especially his father Eric Dotson, who has been his mentor and inspiration throughout his football journey. Eric Dotson was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2015, but he has not let that stop him from supporting his son’s career.

He is also involved in various charitable causes, such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club of America. He is a devout Christian and attends church regularly.

Dotson enjoys playing video games, listening to music, reading books, and watching movies. He is a fan of the Harry Potter series and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Frequently Asked Q/A

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uLXKopqepJWXwG%2BvzqZmnqSZn66pecOoq6ynnmLEqrfIaA%3D%3D