2026 PFN Player Profile: Elijah Gutierrez-OL/DL-Universal Audenried Charter
Tagged under: District 12, News, Player Previews
Cody Brady | July 25, 2026
Elijah Gutierrez
Universal Audenried Charter High
Class Of 2027
OL/DL
Jersey #76
6’5 340
7 pancakes junior season
Other sports Indoor/Outdoor track
I won Most coachable, Athlete of the year, and I made first team all public
Twitter/X @Biglij_76
Coach Says: Elijah is a 2nd Year Captain, and played on both sides of the ball; primarily offense where he held the entire offensive line accountable for knowing their responsibilities. Elijah took part in the development of freshman varsity starters Makhi White, and Terrell Jenkins by being a mentor for them. Elijah is a 3 sport athlete, competing in football, and indoor/outdoor track. He currently holds the schools outdoor shotput record. Elijah has worked extremely hard by losing over 50 pounds since last season. Elijah currently holds a 4.0 GPA, with a class ranking of #1. Elijah is apart of the Youth and Government program with Mr. Salamone. Elijah ran for student president and won in Mr. Salamone’s AP Government class where nearly the entire 11th grade voted for him. Elijah passed all 3 of his keystones last year. Elijah received 1st team all Public League honors this year.
Why do you play football?
The moment I started to take football serious it slowly began to better me in so many ways. Football has also provided me an opportunity for a future that I couldnt have dreamt of achieving. The constant fun, the friends you make along the way, and the endless opportunities that are presented from Football is my why.
It’s gameday! What are you looking forward to the most?
I look forward to the competition, I love a dog fight. Lining up against a player who wants it almost just as much as you. And fighting it out on the field is what I look forward to during a game. That and to dominate, knowing that I’ve worked harder than the man against me, and that I spent the last few weeks studying their film. Now I know everything they do, and any move they pull im one step ahead.
Who is your favorite sports star and WHY?
Trent Williams, I know it’s a popular pick especially for an offensive linemen. But at first I wasn’t the biggest fan of being an offensive linemen, until I started to study the craft. And the man I was directed to was Trent Williams. He dominates on the field, he doesn’t care who lines up against him he just knows that regardless he gon eat every game, that mindset is what I want to replicate. He made being an offensive linemen cool for me.
Do you have a favorite play you remember the most? Explain:
I do, it was a player where I pull and take out a defensive end and the running back runs up that hole I open up. But they sent a blitz on the outside as well so when I pulled i just pushed two people has hard as I could for as long as I could. And I single handedly blocked two people taking out the outside linebacker and the defensive end at the same time creating free space for my running back to get the touchdown that very play.
What was last years season like for you?
It was fun, but lots of times when I look at my own game I mostly see the flaws. I of course don’t overlook the good, but I make sure to point out all the bad so I can work on it. And there were many games I could’ve preformed way better. And it still haunts me to this day, watching my own film and seeing my technique flaws and the things I could’ve done better.
What are your goals for this coming season?
Leave everything on the field, make sure that each play im giving everything I have so I can leave the game with little to no regrets. Last season there were too many plays where I could’ve preformed better, for this season I want every snap to be my best performance.
Who is the best player you ever lined up against?
Honestly, I have to give it to my teammate. We played a lot of competition, but my teammate has been cooking me for 2 years going on 3 years. I’m finally starting to get a few won reps against him so now it’s more of a back and forth, but before I didnt win a single rep against him. I remember a play I was at tackle and he was at defensive end, at first it was a speed thing, so I got out as fast as I could on my kick and finally caught up to him. He said and I quote “your not going to catch me again” and for the rest of the year he kept that promise.
When the game is on the line, which college/professional coach would you like to call in the play?
Nick Siriani
What stadium, HS/college/pro would you love to visit for a game?
The Lincoln Financial Field
What is your favorite Pro team, any sport?
The Philadelphia Eagles
What game, yours, college or pro, was your favorite game you watched and why?
The Eagles rematch against the Kansas City chiefs in the super bowl.
What sports movie would you watch every day if you had to pick one and why?
The Water Boy
If your mom and dad are screaming at you from the stands, what is it they usually yell?
They usually yell “kick his butt” or my brother would yell “bring him to me” telling me to drive my man to the sideline.
Name one thing that you’d love to do in football that may never happen?
I want a fumble recovery, hand off, or a screen pass. It may never happen but as a linemen that’s always been a dream.
Who is your mentor, the person you want to be like? WHY?
I have many mentors, there are many people that give me wisdom and help me everyday to become the best man I can be. My father, my broher, my coach, and even my barber have all helped me in becoming who I am.
Name a sport you’d love to play but can’t:
I used to play soccer, id love to continue for fun but it just isn’t for me anymore.
What is your most embarrassing sports moment?
It was this season, and they put my on defense for the first time. This is exactly what I wanted because I love defensive line. But I got pancaked right in front of the camera. So during film the play where I got pancaked for replayed like 10 times and I was never able to live it down.
If you could only drive one car for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Im not really a car person so I want something reliable, doesn’t have to be pretty and too fast. Not sure how reliable a Tesla is, but I do like Tesla’s.
When you aren’t playing, practicing or training for sports, what is your go to activity and why?
Resting, I really enjoy either chilling with family or with my girlfriend. I do that because I train and practice a lot so when im not doing that I try to rest as hard as I can to prepare for my next workout or practice and let my body recover.
What is your favorite football memory to date?
I forgot what team I was playing, but the team was talking trash. I’m not much of a trash talker so I just let them talk because we were winning by a lot. But then a player hit me and my teammate in our helmets almost taking it off of my head, and of course the referee didn’t see. But i wasn’t stressed, because I knew that I was going to get a pancake on him. And a couple plays later I got that pancake on him and was laughing so hard.
What is your favorite play to run?
And pass play, I love pass protection. It feels like an art to me, two linemen working their best moves in open space.
What scares you the most?
A career ending injury, I know people who have had those. And I had a couple close calls, but im scared that it’ll happen when im at my highest.
Music of choice:
I’m an RnB guy
What is the most food you ever ate in one sitting?
Once ate almost 2 boxes of pizza to myself, to be fair its my favorite food and i was pretty hungry.
What restaurant is your go to when you need a big meal?
Golden coral, I used to go with my cousins and uncle. And considering it’s an all you can eat buffet i would be able to stack my plate and go back until im done.
What is your favorite vacation destination?
I have good memories going to the lake with my uncle and cousins, I want to go to different places but that is so far my favorite.
Do you remember what the first football game you saw was?
I was kind of young, it was an eagles game and Wentz was the eagles quarterback. I remember he threw a diving throw to the back right corner of the endzone and he caught it. I know im not crazy I swear I remember seeing that.
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