CAREER NOTES & RECORDS
Season: 2019: Tied for ninth at Penn State with three forced fumbles.
2023 • SENIOR SEASON
Awards: Preseason: Named to the Reese's Senior Bowl watch list.
Season: Appeared in 13 games...Made 17 tackles (13 solo), an interception and a forced fumble...Named a team captain at the conclusion of spring practice.
West Virginia (9/2): Made three solo tackles. Delaware (9/9): Forced a fumble in the third quarter, which was recovered by Kevin Winston Jr...Added two solo tackles. at Illinois (9/16): Made a solo stop. at Northwestern (9/30): Posted three solo tackles. UMass (10/14): Intercepted a pass in the third quarter and returned it six yards...Assisted on a tackle. at Ohio State (10/21): Posted two tackles. at Maryland (11/4): Made a solo stop. Michigan (11/11): Recorded a solo tackle. vs. Ole Miss (12/30): Posted three tackles.
2022 • JUNIOR SEASON
Season: Started all 13 games at safety...Made 24 tackles (15 solo), two tackles for loss and seven pass breakups.
at Purdue (9/1): Tallied a career-high four pass breakups. Ohio (9/10): Made two tackles and added a pass breakup. Central Michigan (9/24): Assisted on a tackle. Northwestern (10/1): Made four solo tackles...Added a pass breakup. at Michigan (10/15): Tallied five tackles (2 solo). Minnesota (10/22): Recorded a solo stop. Ohio State (10/29): Made five total tackles (3 solo), including a tackle for loss. Maryland (11/12): Made one solo tackle. at Rutgers (11/19): Totaled two tackles, including a tackle for loss. vs. Utah (1/2): Made two stops and broke up a pass.
2021 • SOPHOMORE SEASON
Season: Appeared in 11 games, making one start at safety...Made 18 tackles (14 solo) and broke up a pass.
Villanova (9/25): Tallied two solo tackles and a pass breakup. Indiana (10/2): Assisted on a tackle. at Ohio State (10/30): Made a solo tackle. at Maryland (11/6): Posted two solo tackles. Michigan (11/13): Tallied two solo tackles. Rutgers (11/20): Recorded three tackles (2 solo). at Michigan State (11/27): Made a solo tackle. vs. Arkansas (1/1): Matched career high in tackles with six (4 solo).
2020 • TRUE SOPHOMORE SEASON
Season: Appeared in six games, making five starts...Made 12 tackles (7 solo) to go along with a tackle for loss, interception and two pass breakups.
at Nebraska (11/14): Posted three tackles. Iowa (11/21): Made a career-high six tackles, including four solo stops...Collected first career tackle for loss in the third quarter. at Rutgers (12/5): Had one pass breakup. Michigan State (12/12): Posted a solo tackle. Illinois (12/19): Tallied first career interception...Added two tackles and a pass breakup.
2019 • TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON
Awards: Named to the Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week second team (Michigan State, 10/26).
Season: Appeared in 13 games, including one start...Made 18 tackles (9 solo), forced three fumbles (tied for 2nd on team) with one recovery and broke up two passes.
Idaho (8/31): Broke up a pass. Buffalo (9/7): Assisted on a tackle...Added a pass breakup. Pittsburgh (9/14): Recorded a solo tackle. at Maryland (9/27): Forced and recovered a fumble in fourth quarter...Added two tackles. at Iowa (10/12): Forced a fumble in the third quarter...Registered two tackles. Michigan (10/19): Assisted on a tackle. at Michigan State (10/26): Recorded three tackles...Returned a blocked field goal for eight yards. at Minnesota (11/9): Recorded three tackles...Forced a fumble in the third quarter. Rutgers (11/30): Notched two tackles. vs. Memphis (12/28): Made three tackles, including two solo.
HIGH SCHOOL
Three-time letterman for head coach Matt Lintal at State College Area High School...Was a team captain as a senior...Helped the Little Lions to a quarterfinal appearance in the 2018 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class 6A state tournament with a 12-2 record and 6-1 mark in conference play...Selected as a finalist for the 2018 Mr. PA Football Big School (Classes 4A-6A) Award...Named to the All-USA Pennsylvania Football Team first team by USA Today in 2018...Chosen Pennsylvania Football Writers first-team Class 6A All-State as a senior...Selected All-Mid Penn Commonwealth Conference first team as a defensive back and wide receiver and second team as a return specialist as a senior...Caught 50 passes for 888 yards and 15 touchdowns to go along with 263 rushing yards as a senior...Tallied 1,376 all-purpose yards in 2018...Had 51 tackles, four interceptions, nine pass breakups and three fumble recoveries on defense as a senior...Registered six catches for 164 yards and two scores in limited action as a junior...Recorded 32 tackles and nine pass breakups on defense and 19 carries for 186 yards on offense as a sophomore...Rated a four-star prospect by 247Sports and Rivals and a three-star recruit by ESPN...Rated as the No. 130 overall prospect, No. 14 cornerback and No. 2 recruit in Pennsylvania by 247Sports...Ranked as the No. 128 cornerback, No. 162 prospect in the region and No. 28 recruit in Pennsylvania by ESPN...Ranked No. 26 cornerback and No. 3 recruit in Pennsylvania by Rivals...Lettered three years in basketball as a point guard and participated in track one season.
PERSONAL
Full name is Keaton Charles Ellis...Son of Deb and Bruce Ellis...Father, Bruce, played football at Penn State (1973-76)...Uncle, Gary Ellis, played football at Maryland (1975-79)...Both parents went to and worked at Penn State...Has volunteered for Special Olympics, the Buddy Walk, the Homeless Christmas Dinner and Man-to-Man program...Hobbies include golfing...Earned his degree in recreation, park and tourism management.