Gelliman 2.0: Trevor Harris compares Riders’ REC Joe Robustelli to four-time all-star Greg Ellingson

Graphic courtesy: 3DownNation (Photos: Scott Grant | Saskatchewan Roughriders)

One of the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ young receivers has earned some high praise and a unique nickname from quarterback Trevor Harris.

American pass catcher Joe Robustelli has been a training camp standout after spending the majority of last season on the practice roster. While he has yet to prove himself as a professional, the man throwing him passes believes he is cut from the same cloth as a recent CFL great.

“When he first came, I was like, man, this guy runs like Greg Ellingson and he looks a little bit like him. He’s built like him. So I started calling him ‘Gelliman’ because that’s what Greg (was called),” Harris told the media on Friday. “Greg Ellingson — G-Elli-Man. I’ve just been calling him Gelliman because he reminds me of Greg a little bit.”

Ellingson and Harris spent parts of five seasons together, first with the Ottawa Redblacks and later the Edmonton Elks. It proved to be a fruitful connection, as Ellingson earned divisional all-star honours four times while catching passes from the Riders’ current franchise pivot. The Florida International product later made stops in Winnipeg and Montreal, officially retiring this past April after catching 588 passes for 8,560 yards and 45 touchdowns in 126 career CFL games.

Robustelli’s resume is nowhere near as illustrious, as he suited up for just one game in his rookie season and caught two passes for 15 yards. However, the Riders appear invested in the development of a player who hadn’t played tackle football since his freshman year of high school before he attended his first tryout with the team. It was on their advice that he spent one season at Division II Tusculum University in 2023, notching 20 receptions for 475 yards and six touchdowns in order to prove he deserved an opportunity.

The six-foot-three, 220-pound target, who is the grandson of Pro Football Hall of Famer Andy Robustelli, appears to have made the strides the team was hoping for entering year two.

“He’s pretty explosive. He’s a fun guy, and he’s kind of taken another step this year in terms of not only his explosiveness but knowing what he’s doing on every route,” Harris said. “Finding the details, asking the finer detailed questions, and asking certain questions or certain things after his rep. He’s kind of in the right framework.”

Robustelli will get a chance to further impress his QB and coaches during the Green and White game on Saturday. The Riders will open the preseason on Saturday, May 24 when they visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at 4:00 p.m. EST.