▁finishing ▁with ▁ 3 9 ▁tack les ▁and ▁two ▁forced ▁f umb les ▁at ▁def ensive ▁end . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁Ell ison ▁earned ▁third - team ▁All - Big ▁ 1 2 ▁Conference ▁hon ors ▁after ▁recording ▁ 7 2 ▁tack les , ▁four ▁s acks , ▁and ▁two ▁forced ▁f umb les . ▁As ▁a ▁senior ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁Ell ison ▁played ▁in ▁ 1 1 ▁games , ▁finishing ▁with ▁ 6 0 ▁tack les ▁and ▁ 2 . 5 ▁s acks , ▁ear ning ▁first - team ▁All - Big ▁ 1 2 ▁hon ors . ▁ ▁Professional ▁career ▁ ▁Carolina ▁Pan thers ▁Ell ison ▁was ▁draft ed ▁by ▁the ▁Carolina ▁Pan thers ▁in ▁the ▁third ▁round ▁( 8 9 th ▁overall ) ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁NFL ▁D raft . ▁He ▁was ▁wa ived ▁by ▁Carolina ▁during ▁final ▁cut s ▁on ▁September ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁and ▁re - signed ▁to ▁their ▁practice ▁squad ▁two ▁days ▁later . ▁On ▁September ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁the ▁ 5 3 - man ▁ro ster , ▁but ▁was ▁wa ived ▁again ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁practice ▁squad ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁and ▁was ▁elev ated ▁to ▁the ▁active ▁ro ster ▁again ▁on ▁October ▁ 3 1