5. Jordan Elliott, DL, Missouri
Height: 6’4″ Weight: 302
40-Yard Dash: 5.02 seconds
Bench Press: 24 reps
Vertical Jump: 27.5 inches
Broad Jump: N/A
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.73 seconds
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Bio: Jordan Elliott was a four-star recruit from the Houston area, playing his prep ball at Westside High School in Texas. He originally signed to play at the University of Michigan, but de-committed to stay in-state and play for the University of Texas. He played just 89 snaps as a true freshman and then decided to transfer to Missouri. Elliott sat out the 2017 season due to transfer rules, and slid into a rotational role for the 2018 season. Last year was his first and only as a full-time contributor and he made the opportunity count, notching four sacks, 21 quarterback hurries and 22 run stops.
Stat to Know: As mentioned in the discussion of Javon Kinlaw, Elliott led interior defenders with a pass-rush win rate of 18.7% according to Pro Football Focus.
Strengths: Elliott does not quit on a play, whether as a pass rusher or a run stopper. He keeps his feet and hands working until the whistle and forces his blocker to counter his every move. He can push the pocket with power and strength, or he can use a good swim move to win those one-on-one situations. But he has a more complete toolkit as a pass rusher, and he flashed a great rip move in his game against Kentucky. When left singled up, that is when he is at his best. When his initial move is taken away and he is forced to counter he often turns to brute strength, relying on a bull rush power move.
While his defense did not ask him to slant as much as say Ross Blacklock did for TCU, Elliott flashes a quick first step and some impressive lateral quickness when he is asked to penetrate a gap.
Weaknesses: There are moments when Elliott is slow to get off the line or fire his hands, and that lead to instances where his array of rushing moves are left in the holster and he simply fights with strength. While Blacklock seems to love getting doubled, Elliott was not a fan of those moments. Rather than drop the anchor – and certainly rather than seek them out – Elliott would keep fighting against them, losing ground in the process. There is also the issue that he has just the one season of full-time production, but that could work in his favor if you view it through the most optimistic, “he has room to grow,” lens.
Conclusion: Some of those negatives might cause him to slide down into the later parts of Day Two. That might make him an intriguing option for a team looking for a rotational contributor as a rookie. Elliott has the athleticism and frame to be a stout interior defender, and while he might not do some of the things that others in this class do, he will not quit on a play and has a well-rounded set of pass rushing moves that will serve him well in the league. Teams that miss out on the top tier guys will love what they find in a Plan B like him.
Comparison: Athletically, Elliott reminds one of Shariff Floyd, the former defensive tackle from the University of Florida. Both players combined effort, violent hands and the ability to shoot gaps into a solid package at the defensive tackle position.