NFL Draft Feature: Merrimack Quarterback Westin 'Big Cowboy' Elliott
He just wants to play.
Westin Elliott loves playing the game of football. Anyone who talks to the "Big Cowboy" for even a minute can figure that out.
It's the reason why he went 450 miles across the Lone Star State from Lubbock to Brenham.
Then, it was onto Ruston, La,. and eventually to North Andover, Mass., where, finally, Merrimack head coach Dan Curran gave him the keys to the offense.
His love for the game is why he spent eight weeks in Martinsville, N.J., while training at TEST Football Academy. It's also the reason he didn't decline a single all-star game invitation, participating in three postseason showcase events.
"All along, I just wanted to play. I knew I could play and I just needed the right opportunity," said Elliott, who went from Blinn College to Louisiana Tech before breaking out during his graduate season at Merrimack.
Now, Elliott wants to play on Sundays and that idea has only become more realistic over the past nine months.
His ascension started in North Andover where he won the opening-day starting quarterback job for the Warriors, who were in the third phase of the four-year reclassification process into the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Walking around campus wearing a cowboy hat, boots and blue jeans, Elliott, who stands over 6-foot-4, quickly earned the nickname "Big Cowboy" and he would go on to do big things during his short time at The Mack.
In his second start, Elliott led the offense to arguably the most-impressive victory in Merrimack's program history.
The Warriors went on the road and posted their first-ever win over a top-25 FCS team by defeating Holy Cross one week after the Crusaders pulled off an FBS win over Connecticut.
Elliott went 24-of-35 passing for 259 yards in the 35-21 triumph over the eventual Patriot League champion Crusaders. His two second-quarter touchdown passes helped Merrimack to a 21-7 lead at the break.
Elliott threw multiple scoring strikes in eight of 11 games on the way to setting the Northeast Conference's single-season record for TD passes (30). He finished the season with 2,929 passing yards and a 67.9 completion percentage.
As the all-conference quarterback was finishing the fall semester at Merrimack, he came across the chance to play in the FCS Bowl - an all-star game for lesser-known prospects from the FCS, D-II, D-III and NAIA - on Dec. 12.
Following a successful stop in Daytona, Elliott next tackled the College Gridiron Showcase in Fort Worth, Tex. Then, it was back to the Sunshine State for the Tropical Bowl on Jan. 15 in Orlando.
After hitting the all-star game circuit, Elliott took another huge step toward becoming an attractive pro prospect when he connected with well-respected quarterbacks coach Tony Racioppi.
"I knew his reputation, so I reached out to him and he was responsive," said Elliott, who did not have an agent or personal coach at the time.
One of five quarterbacks, including Heisman Trophy finalist Kenny Pickett, preparing for the NFL Draft with Racioppi, Elliott embarked on an eight-week combine training program at TEST.
"They [the team at TEST] instilled more confidence in me and transformed the way I throw the football," said Elliott, who claims the ball is coming out of his hand differently now than it did this past college season.
"The training improved my mechanics and increased my velocity. I used to throw with a lot of arm and I wasn't using my lower body to maximize velocity. Now, I'm throwing with rotational power," the native Texan explained.
The gains he has made during the draft process appear to stretch beyond the field.
"It's exciting to get to learn how to be a professional and TEST helped me immensely in that area. They were a big part of the process and I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity than to train with Tony," said Elliott.
When asked to identify his best in-game traits as a quarterback, Elliott pointed to the "touch" on his throws while also highlighting his pocket movement.
"I'm definitely able to put touch on the ball and layer it over defenders. I feel like I move well in the pocket, too. Sadly, I'm not Lamar Jackson, but I can manipulate the pocket and I can gain a split-second advantage that way," Elliott self-assessed.
He also attributes his growth to a long list of quarterbacks coaches whom he studied under in college. The line of coaches includes former San Francisco 49ers signal-caller Tim Rattay. Most recently, it was Luke Bakanowsky at Merrimack.
"I was fortunate to have so many great quarterback coaches in college. The thing they helped me with the most was learning how to process film," said Elliott.
The under-the-radar prospect has come a long way over the past nine months, but he's still in the same place mentally.
"I just want to play football. It's the game itself [that I love]. I love to compete. I always want to win," said Elliott.
As was the case when he showed up at Dan Curran's doorstep in North Andover, Elliott just wants to play ball.
