Denver Broncos select Utah EDGE Jonah Elliss with 76th overall pick in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft

The Denver Broncos have selected Utah EDGE Jonah Elliss with the 76th overall selection in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Denver Broncos have selected Utah EDGE Jonah Elliss with their 76th overall selection in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

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.

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.

A two-year starter at Utah, Elliss played right defensive end (two- and three-point stances) in defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley’s hybrid 4-2-5 scheme. An off-ball linebacker in high school, he transitioned to a pass-rushing role for the Utes and put together an All-America junior season, finishing as one of only two Power 5 players with 12-plus sacks in 2023 (despite missing the final three games with a torn labrum). A long, high-effort pass rusher, Elliss displays quick and instinctive initial movements as a two-way rusher who can fit, rework and leverage his physical hands. However, he tends to rely more on effort than refined counters and doesn’t consistently play big against the run (doesn’t quite have his NFL father’s size). Overall, Elliss is an inconsistent edge setter in the run game, but he is threatening with his upfield burst/motor and skilled with his hands in the pass rush. It is encouraging to think of what he can develop into with a full bag of counters. His pro ceiling is an Alex Highsmith-style edge defender, although a high-end subpackage rusher is his more realistic NFL projection.

This was an interesting addition since the Broncos’ edge rushing room is fairly crowded. They have Jonathon Cooper, Baron Browning, Nik Bonitto, Thomas Incoom, Ronnie Perkins and others but they still added Elliss. Both Browning and Cooper are entering the final years of their rookie contracts so adding some depth makes sense.

Elliss is an explosive edge with a nasty spin move who should help the Broncos’ pass rush moving forward. With Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and a loaded AFC quarterback group, you can never have enough pass rushers. Hopefully, he can improve the Broncos pass rush moving forward and get some big sacks on Mahomes and others in the neat future.