Ezekiel Elliott tops college playoff vets in NFL postseason
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Ezekiel Elliott was in the original group of college players to go through something resembling the NFL playoffs when Ohio State won the national championship two years ago.
Now the Dallas rookie running back and a handful of young pros are seeing how the experience translates. For the NFL rushing champion, there’s an easy place to start.
Win as the NFC’s top seed in a divisional game against Green Bay on Sunday, or watch along with quarterback and fellow rookie sensation Dak Prescott as a magical season goes “poof.”
“We got to come into this playoff hot,” said Elliott, one of three rookie All-Pro selections . “It doesn’t matter what we did coming up to now. We’ve got to come in there clicking on all cylinders and ready to rock and roll.”
That was certainly Elliott’s experience during the 2014 season, when he rushed for 696 yards and eight touchdowns in a three-game run that carried the Buckeyes to the title. That makes him the best example so far among what figures to be a growing group of players bringing the College Football Playoff experience to the NFL.
There are four others from one or both of the first two years of the CFP with at least minor contributions among the eight teams in the NFL’s second round: Houston nose tackle D.J. Reader (Clemson), Kansas City linebacker Terrance Smith (Florida State), New England cornerback Cyrus Jones and Seattle defensive tackle Jarran Reed (both Alabama).
“I think the biggest thing for all of our players is to use the experiences you have up to this point, whether it’s NFL playoff experience, college playoff experience or whatever it is in your life,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. “To get you prepared for a new experience you rely on…
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