Elijah Dotson

Class:
Freshman
Position:
DB
Height:
6-1
Weight:
192
Hometown:
Detroit, Mich.
High School:
Belleville

CAREER HIGHS

• Tackles: 4 - at Nebraska (Sept. 20, 2025)
• Solos: 2, 3x - last at Michigan State (Oct. 25, 2025)
• Asst: 2 - at Nebraska (Sept. 20, 2025)
• TFLs: none
• Sacks: none
• Int: none
• FR: none
• PBUs: none

At Michigan
• Named the team’s Rookie of the Year on Special Teams (2025)

Freshman (2025)
• Appeared in 12 games (four games, special teams only); made 11 tackles with one interception to earn his first varsity letter
• Named the team’s Rookie of the Year on Special Teams
• Made his collegiate debut against New Mexico (Aug. 30) and made two tackles
• Registered his first collegiate interception and played extensively in the defensive backfield against Central Michigan (Sept. 13)
• Contributed four stops from the secondary at Nebraska (Sept. 20)
• Chipped in one tackle playing as a corner and at the nickel spot, and played on special teams against Wisconsin (Oct. 4)
• Contributed on special teams at USC (Oct. 11), against Northwestern at Wrigley Field (Nov. 15), against Ohio State (Nov. 29)
• Contributed in the secondary and on special teams against Washington (Oct. 18)
• Credited with two solo tackles in the secondary and also contributed on special teams at MSU (Oct. 25)
• Made one tackle in special teams coverage against Purdue (Nov. 1)
• Played as the nickel and contributed on special teams at Maryland (Nov. 22); made one tackle
• Hurried the quarterback while playing defensive back and also contributed on special teams against Texas in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl (Dec. 31)

Prep
• Attended Belleville High School (2025) coached by Dejuan Rogers and Calvin Norman
• The Tigers posted a 10-2 record in 2024
• Spent his first three seasons at University of Detroit Jesuit (2021-23) where the Cubs combined for a .500 record including a 6-3 mark in 2023, reaching the district final
• Also an accomplished track athlete at U of D, specializing in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles
• All-State finisher five times in the hurdles; also a four-time AAU Junior Olympian and three-time New Balance All-American
• Part of a 4x100-meter relay team that set a meet record (57.81) at New Balance Nationals in summer 2024

Key Statistics
• Played in all three phases as a junior with 43 catches, 1,653 all-purpose yards, and 18 total touchdowns on offense and special teams
• On defense, totaled 66 tackles with three interceptions among 11 pass breakups defensively
• Competed in the 100m and 200m dashes holding personal records of 11.36 and 23.08 seconds and 13.89 and 38.64 seconds in the 110m and 300m hurdles
• MITS State Champion (2024) in the 60-meter hurdles (7.91)

Honors and Rankings
• Earned a 247Sports Composite ranking of four stars; the No. 190 overall player nationally, the No. 13 safety and the No. 2 player in the state of Michigan
• Named a four-star prospect by 247Sports; the No. 118 overall player in the nation, the No. 10 safety and the No. 2 player in the state of Michigan
• Rated as a four-star prospect by ESPN, the No. 21 athlete in the nation, the No. 31 player in the midwest region and the No. 5 player in the state of Michigan
• Rivals.com four-star prospect, the No. 125 overall player, the No. 12 safety in the nation and the No. 2 player in Michigan
• On3.com four-star consensus prospect, the No. 157 player in the nation, the No. 20 cornerback in the nation and the No. 2 player in Michigan
• On3.com four-star prospect, the No. 31 cornerback in the nation and the No. 3 player in Michigan
• Prepstar ranking of four stars, the No. 190 player in the country
• Prior to the 2024 season, named a top-five senior in the state of Michigan by 247Sports
• MHSFCA Division 1 All-State first team defensive back (2024)
• Detroit Free Press Dream Team (2024)
• Detroit Free Press All-Detroit first team (2023)
• MHSFCA Division 2 first-team All-State honoree (2023)
• KLAA first team All-Conference honoree (2024)

Personal
• Elijah Dotson was born November 8, 2006
• Son of Charles and Donna Dotson