Garrison was a tight end and a safety on Team 125 before playing four seasons at Pittsburg State
by Erik Nelson
Sports Reporter
While some of his Team 125 teammates have gone on to pursue careers outside of sports, Elk River High School graduate Devon Garrison isn’t giving up on his dream to make the NFL.
Garrison, 24, played in eight games for Elk River’s Team 125 as a junior during its 2016 Class 5A title-winning season and mainly was a safety for the Elks. He played a few games as a tight end, but Elk River only ran about 26 passing plays in 13 games.
Elks head coach Steve Hamilton said Garrison’s hands are the best he’s ever seen and is not exaggerating.
“He can catch literally anything,” Hamilton said. “In our semifinal win against Apple Valley, he had an interception that was on SportsCenter, [a] one-handed interception on the sidelines. That showed exactly who he was. He’s that talented in terms of ball skills. I’ve never seen anybody like him in terms of being able to catch the ball. It’s a special gift.”
The Elks hoped that Garrison would play a bigger role for Team 126 in 2017, but he broke his leg returning a punt in Elk River’s first game of the season against Moorhead on Aug. 31, 2017. He would miss the rest of the regular season but returned in time for the playoffs. The Elks lost in the state championship game to Owatonna on Nov. 25, 2017, as the Huskies dashed Garrison and the Elks’ goal of back-to-back state titles.
After graduating from ERHS, Garrison went on to play two years of community college football for Iowa Western Community College. He spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons with the Reivers.
As the world began to shut down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Garrison transferred at age 21 to Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas. He played in four games for the Gorillas and made one 13-yard catch.
Garrison’s career at Pittsburgh State reached a higher level in 2021. He played in all 11 games for the Gorillas and started twice. Garrison had eight receptions and scored two touchdowns that season and had touchdown catches in back-to-back games against Missouri Western State on Oct. 23 and Oct. 30, 2021.
In his 2022 junior season, Garrison more than tripled his touchdown total from 2021 by catching seven touchdowns. He had 614 yards receiving in 13 games for Pittsburg State and averaged 47.2 yards per game and 17.5 per catch. As a senior in 2023, he scored six touchdowns for the Gorillas in 13 games and had a career-high 855 yards receiving. He averaged 65.8 yards per game and 16.1 per catch. Garrison ended his collegiate career with 15 touchdown receptions in 41 games for Pittsburg State with 97 receptions and 1,581 yards receiving.
Hamilton said Garrison was a quiet and reserved person until he got on a football field.
“He’s got showmanship out there,” he said. “He’s not a loud, vocal guy. He’s a guy that’s going to outwork you and lead that way.”
Garrison’s time at Pittsburg State was special thanks to his younger brothers Damon and Dylan Garrison. Both Damon and Devon were tight ends, but Dylan played as a linebacker for the Gorillas. The brothers played together on Pittsburg State in 2022 and 2023.
“It’s everything I could’ve dreamed of and asked for,” Devon Garrison said. “I built friendships that will last me a whole lifetime. Getting to share those experiences with my brothers was something I’ve always wanted to do.”
On Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11, Garrison tried out for the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted rookie. He also tried out for the Green Bay Packers this spring. As of today’s publication, Devon hasn’t been signed by the Vikings, Packers or any of the other 30 NFL teams.
“[I] got a chance to go out there and showcase the things that I’ve been able to do not only in high school, but in college,” Garrison said. “I thought I put some good things on tape and made the best I could out of it.”
As a student at Pittsburg State, Garrison’s major was recreation services, sport and hospitality management. However, if Garrison can’t play football professionally, he wants to coach football at any level or work a basic 9-5 job.
Devon said his job now is to stay ready and keep working out in case an opportunity with an NFL team arises. He may also be looking into trying out for teams in other leagues like the UFL.
“I want to continue to play football for as long as I can and keep the dream alive,” he said. “You can’t sit here and look at the results and have that dictate your work ethic. I could be on a team right now, and then, I would still have to have that same work ethic in pushing myself and making sure that I got better every day.”
Hamilton said he still keeps contact with Devon and is proud of him for pursuing his dream.
“We still text,” Hamilton said. “On Twitter, you’d see his highlights all the time. If he can get the chance and finds a place that can use the skills that he has, he’ll have a chance to make it [in the NFL]. I know he’s going to keep working.”
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