The explosive pass rusher has a chance to be a key member of the Broncos defense.
The Denver Broncos selected former Utah edge rusher Jonah Elliss with their 76th overall pick in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He is a 6-2, 248-pound edger rusher who has the speed, athleticism, and pass rush ability to be a difference-maker for the Broncos. The Athletic’s lead draft analyst Dane Brugler had Elliss ranked as his 11th best edge rusher in the draft and was his 94th overall player in the 2024 NFL Draft while having a 3rd-4th round grade on him.
Elliss is a 6-2, 248-pound edge rusher out of Utah and is now joining the Denver Broncos’ defense. He played three seasons at Utah and is coming off a breakout year for them. During his three-year career, Elliss totaled 78 tackles, 23 tackles for a loss, 16 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles. This past season, he totaled 37 tackles, 16 tackles for a loss, 12 sacks, and 1 forced fumble.
Jonah Ellis has a N A S T Y spin move. Excited to see that on Sunday’s pic.twitter.com/uCW3VxYRfw
— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) April 27, 2024
Elliss joins an edge rushing unit that has Jonathon Cooper, Baron Browning, and Nik Bonitto along with others. With Drew Sanders suffering a torn Achilles, Elliss has a chance to earn a role early on with the Broncos defense as a pass rush specialist.
Player Profile
Jonah Elliss | EDGE | Broncos
Height: 6-2
Weight: 246 pounds
Arm Length: 33 inches
Hand Size: 10 1⁄2 inches
Vertical Jump: 38 inches
Broad Jump: 10’0”
Short Shuttle: 4.17 seconds
3-Cone Drill: 6.69 seconds
How rookie edge rusher Jonah Elliss fits with the Denver Broncos
Drew Sanders was expected to transition to edge rusher this offseason and provide some depth and competition to that unit. However, he tore his Achilles prior to the draft and will now miss the majority of the upcoming regular season. With Sanders out, in comes third-round pick Jonah Elliss who is explosive off the edge, has a motor that does not quit, and possesses a nasty spin move.
Head coach Sean Payton told reporters that they had Elliss a half-round higher than anyone else on their board when they were on the clock and then praised his energy, effort, football makeup, and character.
He’s an edge player that plays with energy, effort, all those things you look for. He has really good football makeup, good character.
As for how Elliss fits with the rest of the edge rushers, it will be interesting to see how it shakes out. Sean Payton told reporters after day two of the draft that “we’ll sort that out” and that Elliss checked the pressure player box for them.
You’re never afraid to draft at the top on your strength. We’ll sort that out. It’s always a harder position to find in the offseason and in free agency, and so we felt like he definitely checked the pressure player box, and then we’ll sort through that depth as we get to it.”
The Broncos currently lack a true “alpha” at edge rusher. Jonathon Cooper, Baron Browning, and Nik Bonitto have all flashed at times, but none of the three have truly broken out as a true threat off the edge. It remains to be seen if Elliss can or will be that guy but he at least gives them another option off the edge.
Elliss’s explosion off the snap is evident, his motor is relentless and he has a pretty nasty spin move. If he can add some more moves and build up some more strength, he could develop into a pretty good player for the Broncos. If he wants to be a true three-down player and not just a pass-rush specialist, he will need to add more strength to be able to consistently set the edge against the run.
Final Thoughts
I am excited about Ellis’s potential. The pass rush ability is there and it is something that the Broncos need. Browning and Cooper are in the final years of their rookie contract which could potentially leave the Broncos’ edge rushing unit pretty bare. So, adding Elliss made sense in that regard while also just giving them another speed rusher off the edge. The AFC is loaded with quarterbacks and you need to get after them consistently so you can never have enough pass rushers.
I don’t think Elliss will win a starting job outright this summer, but he will certainly show enough to be used in rotation with the other three. I would not be surprised if we see Bonitto and Elliss be the edge rushers on some key third-down pass plays this season.
He does need to add some strength to his frame if he wants to consistently set the edge against the run. We’ll see if he does that this offseason or if the Broncos are fine with him at his current weight/play style.