Eastern Washington University Athletics

2023 (Redshirt Freshman)

• Did not appear in any game during the 2023 season.

2022 (Freshman)

• Redshirted.

Coach Aaron Best on Rodriguez: "Elijah is a local kid who comes from a program that has traditionally won. He's been on campus multiple times, and connectivity matters in the recruiting process. The more you reach out to them, the more they reach out to you, and the more they visit, the more interested they are, and Elijah was one of those guys. Elijah's brother is a pretty good hockey player, they travel a ton and sports is in the family in terms of knowing what it takes to commit and sacrifice. Elijah knows a fair amount of players on our team from around the area. He will help us provide depth in the linebacker position, which is something that we coveted from the get-go. We've seen Elijah up close and personal and we have developed a deep relationship with him, he felt this was the best spot for him to grow the most after high school."

High School

• Coached by Mike Neidhold at Richland High School where he earned three letters in both football and wrestling.
• Named Second-Team All-Mid-Columbia Conference at defensive back as a sophomore and First-Team All-MCC on the defensive line and as a running back as a junior and a senior.
• Placed third at the Mid-Columbia Conference wrestling tournament.
• Listed as a two-star recruit by 247 sports.
• Helped the Bombers return to the state playoffs since 2018 when they won the 4A state title.

Personal

• Born on Oct. 30, 2003.
• Parents are Liz and Russ Rodriguez.
• Wants to become a teacher with aspirations of playing sports professionally, teaching, and owning a small farm.
• Enjoys hunting and fishing.