As we lead into the first day that high school football seniors can sign a national letter of intent next Wednesday, we’re taking a look back at how former American Family Insurance ALL-USA football players fared after signing day. Today’s player is Baltimore Ravens strong safety Matt Elam, then a player at Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.).
Matt Elam when he played at Dwyer High School. / Orlando Sentinel
Player: Matt Elam
High school: Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.).
Position: Strong safety
ALL-USA selection: First team in 2009 as a senior, when he Had 179 carries for 1,708 yards and 26 touchdowns, a 9.54 yards-per-carry average. As defensive back, had 66 tackles, two interceptions, four sacks, eight tackles for loss, six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
College: He committed early to Florida, but had second thoughts after then-Gators coach Urban Meyer left the team for a leave of absence and Elam changed his commitment to Florida State. Then, two weeks later, after talking with Meyer, announced at the U.S. Army All-America Game that he would stay with the Gators. He didn’t wait for signing day, either, enrolling in January with Florida.
What happened next: Showed steady improvement, playing in every game as a freshman at Florida, then starting every game as a sophomore and then as a consensus All-America as a junior. He entered the NFL draft after his junior season and was taken in the first round, No. 32 overall by the Ravens, in the 2013 draft. He became a starter his rookie season.