The brotherhood of the game and that bond between players is a strong calling for new SDSU Aztecs’ 2026 tight end, Jack Ellis.

The San Diego State Aztecs football team added a terrific young talent in tight end Jack Ellis.

A 2026 graduate, Ellis was a late commit to the school and is extremely ecstatic about his upcoming opportunity on The Mesa.

Jack Ellis and SDSU found one another late in the recruitment procedure. Sean Lewis and his coaching staff were a breath of fresh air to the young tight end. Ellis went through a rough recruitment process with several schools. Though he did not care to elaborate, some schools were dishonest in their discussions with the young player. San Diego State was direct and did not hesitate to be upfront with the teenager.

“Coach Lewis talked a lot about family. Football is huge for me, but life after football and growing as a man were most important. The family thing pulled me into the school. Coach Lewis told me they were going to take me away from my real family, but I was going to be a brother to all these players and a son to him and the coaching staff,” Ellis tells EVT this week. “They told me it was going to be hard, and it was going to be a grind. The coaching staff was transparent. They were very enthusiastic about me being there, and that made me excited. They didn’t force anything, and it was all very natural. It just felt right.”

It is refreshing to hear that SDSU and Coach Lewis are honest with these young players. The modern era of collegiate athletics is insane with NIL money and such. San Diego State is utilizing an honest approach and the vision that they are building a family-type environment that is pro-player. Nothing means more to the coaching staff than making these players better men when they leave the program. The wins will come with this type of philosophy.

At 6-foot-5 and 235 lbs., he has excellent size for the position. The former wide receiver is putting on muscle as he started his career as a wideout. ‘I have only played tight end for a few years. I played wide receiver my first two seasons in high school,” Ellis explains. Despite being new to the position, he is excelling. The strength and size are increasing, and with that, Jack Ellis is becoming a complete tight end.

He played defensive end in high school and is definitely not afraid of contact. He used his size well at the line, continually getting in passing lanes and obstructing quarterbacks’ views of potential open receivers. Playing defense helped the young player as he learned the tight end position. “It has helped me tremendously. Knowing the moves that defensive ends have. You get a sense of what they are trying to do. What they want to do and what they are coached to do. In a way, you are already in their head before the game even starts,” Ellis explains.

There is no question that Jack Ellis is tough. Playing on both sides of the ball is not an easy task. “I got a lot of physicality out of playing defensive end. There is a lot of hitting at the position,” Ellis said intensely. The tight end is not afraid to get his nose dirty and get into the trenches. That Aztecs coaching staff will love that fact.

Ellis goes to St. Vincent de Paul College Prep in Petaluma, California, which is a little bit north of San Francisco. While at the school, he won back-to-back CIF Championships in 2023 and 2024. SDSU hopes that he brings that championship pedigree south to San Diego. Ellis knows what it takes to win, as we spoke more about football and his beginnings in the game.

It is hard to imagine, but Jack Ellis struggled playing football when he began. He participated in other sports growing up, namely basketball, but the gridiron always held his heart. “At a young age, when I first started playing (football), and I wasn’t very good, but I knew this was the sport for me,” Ellis said proudly. His father loves the game as well and played in high school. The two share that passion for the sport. “My dad played, and he always wanted me to play. I have always been around it,” Ellis tells EVT.

The bond of playing the game really enthralled Ellis as he grew up. “Football was always more of a brotherhood than other sports. Even at a young age, that clicked for me,” Ellis said. Being part of a large team and a family-like environment is so important to this young player as he navigates life. The cerebral player is conscious that life doesn’t revolve around a sport. With that perspective, the game will never get too big for him.

Family is vital to Jack Ellis. He is the eldest of five children. He feels the responsibility of being the older brother. “I want to show my siblings that it is possible to do what people say is not. If you put your mind to it, you can really do it. It is a hard grind, but I want to show them that if you work hard enough, you can make anything happen,” Ellis explains. His two younger sisters and two younger brothers are in excellent hands with their elder brother. He is providing a perfect example for them.

A quest to get better and learn fuels the young tight end as he embarks on his journey at SDSU. He is well aware that he is coming into a fresh environment and will be the low man on the totem pole. That challenge will not discourage him in his quest. “I have always liked learning and getting better at stuff. There is so much to learn about the sport, and I think the learning aspect of the sport really motivates me. To be my best and get better. My dad is really hardworking, and I get a lot of that from him,” Ellis said proudly. The new system and the faster pace at the collegiate level will be tough for Ellis, but he is game for the task.

Playing on Sunday is most collegiate football players’ dream, and Jack Ellis is no different. “That would be amazing, and a dream come true,” Ellis said. Though it is possible, Ellis is grounded and focused on the present. He knows that SDSU is a great place for him, and it goes beyond football. “I think with San Diego State, I have a great setup for me as a man. That is the goal (to play in the NFL), but I am set up.” Ellis is a business major and is in a great place at SDSU with their excellent business school.

Receiving yards and touchdowns are the flash of playing the tight end position, but Ellis is not a one-trick pony. He intends to improve his run-blocking skill and takes gratification in it. “I love making a good block, and I get almost as much joy from that as scoring a touchdown. There is a lot of pride in it, and it is one of the best feelings to get a big block. I have been working hard on it because I am a little behind others who have played the position longer than me. I am figuring it out,” Ellis said.

In closing the interview, staying in California was big for Ellis as he reflects on his family. Early in the recruiting process, the location of the school wasn’t a factor. But, as he thought about his family and staying close to home, SDSU just made even more sense. “I was blessed to have multiple offers. San Diego came into the mix at the right time. It is far enough where my parents aren’t going to bug me, but close enough where they can come down for home games,” Ellis said with a giggle. “I was settling on other schools, and they came in, and I was like- whoa, let me check this out. Only coming home once or twice a year didn’t seem fun to me.”

All in all, Jack Ellis is in the right place for him. He is focused and ready to contribute. Schooling is very important to him as his parents instilled that trait early in his life. San Diego State is getting an excellent young player with upside. New to the position, we have yet to really see what Jack Ellis can do on the football field. In time, he could very well be a pivotal member of the offensive game.

James Clark

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.