Report: Ezekiel Elliott Showed Up To Cowboys Camp Out Of Shape

Ezekiel Elliott had the Dallas Cowboys worried when he showed up to training camp last month and was out of shape. That news comes via a report from Albert Breer, who says Elliott has been working off some of the excess weight.

Elliott weighed in at 225 pounds at the Combine, but was 231 at the beginning of camp. While six pounds doesn’t sound like much, pure weight isn’t necessarily the issue, it’s also the kind of weight a guy has on him. Elliott then injured his hamstring and has yet to play in the preseason. The No. 4 pick from the 2016 NFL Draft finally appears set to play in Thursday night’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.

This is likely not a big deal, but there are reasons for concern. The Cowboys are expected to rely on Elliott heavily this season and plan to in the future. They need him to get up to speed and healthy quickly. Elliott is an all-around back who needs to be on the field and in shape. A scout assigned to Ohio State (Elliott’s college squad) told Breer the following about Elliott:

"“As a player, I loved him to death. He’s the highest graded back I’ve ever done. He does everything well — running, catching, pass pro. But as far as going to Dallas, the bright lights, big city, I’ve always thought it could be tough for him. … He likes football. He also likes everything that goes along with being a star.”"

Elliott is just 21 years old and could just be going through the growing pains associated with being young and a potential star professional athlete. There probably isn’t a reason to worry right now for Cowboys fans but it’s certainly worth monitoring moving forward.