Kenrick Ellis Kenrick Ellis ( born December 10 , 1987 ) is a Jamaican American football nose tackle for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Jets in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft . He played college football at Hampton University . High school career . After spending the first eleven years of his life in Jamaica , Ellis played mostly soccer until he got near high school . He attended John I . Leonard High School in Greenacres , Florida , where he became an All - State defensive tackle and was teammates with Markus White . In his junior year , he had 72 tackles , 16 for loss , and 14 quarterback sack s , while earning Class 6A third - team all - state honors , according to the Florida Sports Writers Association . As a senior , he made 67 tackles , 10 sacks and blocked two kicks despite having the season cut to only eight games as a result of hurricanes . Recruiting analysts of " Scout . com " described Ellis as Miami metropolitan area ' s best defensive tackle prospect since Vince Wilfork . Considered a four - star recruit by " Rivals . com " , Ellis was tabbed as the No . 12 defensive tackle in the country . He was also recognized as the No . 23 player in the state of Florida . After official visits to Rutgers , Tennessee and South Carolina , Ellis committed to the Gamecocks on January 30 , 2006 . He also received scholarship offers from Michigan , Michigan State , and North Carolina State . College career . South Carolina . After redshirting his initial year at South Carolina , Ellis played in 11 of 12 games for the Gamecocks in 2007 , and earned a start in the season finale against Clemson . He recorded 11 tackles overall , including 10 solo stops , and three of those for a loss of yardage . Most of his work came on special teams until the final three games of the season , in which he logged nine of his tackles . Ellis figured to play a more prominent role in the rotation in 2008 , as he entered the spring listed as the number two tackle behind senior Marque Hall . However , he was dismissed from the team for repeated violations of team and university policy in May 2008 . He had already been suspended for the fall ' s first three games for violating the same university unspecified policy in February 2008 . Ellis chose to transfer to Hampton University . Hampton . In his first year at Hampton , played in 11 games for the Pirates while starting in nine . He recorded 39 tackles on the season , including 16 solo tackles , and ranked second on the team with 3 . 5 sacks . He earned subsequently earned second - team All - MEAC honors as voted on by the league ' s head coaches and sports information directors . As a junior , Ellis was fifth on the team with 51 tackles , and also ranked second on the team with 15 . 0 tackles for loss on the season . He received first - team All - MEAC honors by the league ' s coaches . Professional career . Pre - draft . A two - time All - Mid - Eastern Athletic Conference performer , Ellis was considered one of the best defensive tackle prospects to enter the 2011 NFL Draft . Ellis was ranked by ESPN as the fourth top small - school prospect in the draft . New York Jets . Ellis was drafted by the New York Jets in the third round with the ninety - fourth overall selection in the 2011 NFL Draft . He made his professional debut on October 17 , 2011 against the Miami Dolphins . He made his first career start six days later against the San Diego Chargers . Legal . In April 2010 , while attending Hampton University , Ellis was arrested by University police after allegedly attacking another student , Dennis Eley . Ellis claimed Eley had been harassing his girlfriend and subsequently ran after Ellis with a baseball bat . Ellis faced felony charges and possible deportation to his native Jamaica . A plea agreement was reached on May 17 , 2012 and on May 21 , 2012 , he pled guilty to assault and battery , a misdemeanor , and was required to serve 45 days in jail and remain on unsupervised probation for two years . Kenrick Ellis was released from prison July 9 , 2012 , after serving the first portion of his jail sentence and was allowed to participate in a work release program while in jail , giving him the opportunity to work with Hampton football coaches during his incarceration .