The 45 Most Valuable Rebels of 2014: No. 33 Trae Elston
By Dave Bevan
The 2014 Ole Miss football season is just around the corner. Now that we have hit the 45 day mark until kickoff, we are going to countdown the most valuable Rebel players this season. Their rankings are based on their positions and how much of an impact they will bring to the table. Today on the countdown is…
2013 Season: Last season, Trae Elston backed up all the hype from his freshman year at Ole Miss. In 2013, he racked up 62 total tackles (4th on the team), two tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. He was one of the defensive backs that was consistent in every game he played last season. He made 11 starts at the rover position. Some of his highlighted games were against Texas, where he recorded eight tackles (career-high five solo) and broke up a pass. In the game against Texas A&M, Trae Elston tied a career high with 10 tackles and recovered a fumble. In the game against Arkansas, he posted six tackles (four solo). Against Missouri, he made seven tackles (four solo). In the Music City Bowl against Georgia Tech, Elston posted three tackles with a half TFL and a fumble recovery.
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The Value: Like I said above, Trae Elston is very consistent. If he remains healthy, it could be easily projected that he will post similar stats this season, as he did last year. He just has that track record. Over the past two seasons, Elston has played a huge role in the Rebels’ secondary and has built up a reputation of being one of the hardest hitting defenders in the entire league. Receivers definitely flinch when he comes in their vicinity down field. Quarterbacks know now to brace themselves when pressing for the goal line, because he is always going to be there. Elston’s primary position is the rover position or strong-safety, but he could play exceptionally well at virtually in position in the Rebels’ secondary. That is another factor that makes him so valuable.