Tag: Jonah Elliss

Jonah Elliss eager to join Broncos, his dad’s former team

Luther Elliss played for the Broncos (2004) and later served as the team’s chaplain when they won Super Bowl 50. His son, Jonah, is up next.

Football runs in the Elliss family

The Denver Broncos used their third-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Friday night to select Utah pass rusher Jonah Elliss.

“Honestly my heart dropped,” Elliss said during a call with reporters when asked what it was like to get ‘the call’ from the Broncos on draft day. “Holy, it’s so exciting, I have a big smile on my face. I’m so excited.”

Elliss is already familiar with the organization. His dad, Luther, was a defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions from 1995-2003 before playing the final year of his career with the Broncos in 2004. The elder Elliss totaled two sacks as a rotational player in Denver and 29 sacks in his career.

“He’s in the other room right now,” Jonah said of his dad. “He just told me how great of a culture, how great of a fanbase and how it was really a family vibe out there. Honestly the culture is something that he mentioned a lot and how it’s a really good bond out there.”

Eleven years after hanging up his cleats, Luther returned to the Broncos under then-coach Gary Kubiak to serve as the team’s chaplain in 2015. Denver went on to win the Super Bowl that season.

“[I haven’t seen] too many of his highlights, but I do remember when we moved out to Colorado,” Jonah said. “I spent a year there. It was really awesome just to see my dad start to get back into football. Even though he was just the chaplain at the time, you could see that his love for the sport really just lights him up and gets him excited to go to work and stuff. So it was awesome seeing him do that, and I’m really excited to come down where he was.”

The family’s NFL connections don’t stop there. All three of Jonah’s older brothers — Kaden (Atlanta Falcons), Christian (New England Patriots) and Noah (Philadelphia Eagles) — play in the NFL.

Kaden was drafted by then-New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton in 2019.

“Look, obviously a little bit of a coincidence,” Payton said of the Elliss family’s connection to the Broncos and Payton. “I think the irony though a little bit though was you wait, like always, you’re waiting for the teams to get through. The team before us is Atlanta, and then I’m reminded that Kaden is with Atlanta now. I’m like, ‘Oh no.’ [Falcons GM] Terry [Fontenot] was with us [in New Orleans]. Kaden is there; they needed an edge.

“Then I’m like, ‘Maybe Kaden and Jonah didn’t get along?’ So we were sweating that pick out, and then they ended up taking a different outside linebacker. I got a text two seconds later from Kaden. They are two different types of players, obviously, Kaden is playing more inside, and we got more of a pressure player here with this player.”

He’s not a replica of his father or his brothers, but Jonah has an impressive family tradition to continue in the NFL.

“It’s awesome,” Jonah said of playing for the coach who also drafted his brother. “Kaden told me how much he loved Coach, so I’m just really excited to get out there and work for him because my brother had such good things to say about him.”

Jonah is set to report to the team’s rookie minicamp next week. He’ll make his Broncos debut during preseason this summer.

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Broncos select pass rusher Jonah Elliss in 3rd round of NFL draft

Edge rusher Jonah Elliss joins a promising group of Broncos pass rushers.

The Denver Broncos used the 76th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft to select edge rusher Jonah Elliss from the University of Utah on Friday night.

Elliss (6-3, 232 pounds) was a three-year player for the Utes, where he played 30 games. Elliss finished his collegiate career with 16.0 sacks, 23 tackles for losses and three forced fumbles.

In 2023, Elliss was a consensus All-American, when he had his best season. In the Pac-12’s final year, Elliss contributed with 12 sacks, 16 tackles for losses, 37 total tackles (23 solo, 14 assisted), three defensed passes and one forced fumble.

Elliss was rated the 58th-best prospect on Draft Wire’s big board of top 200 players ranked by Jeff Risdon.

Football runs in Elliss’ family. His brother Kaden played at Idaho and is now a member of the Atlanta Falcons. His other brothers Christian and Noah signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, with Christian also appearing in games with the New England Patriots.

Elliss’ father, Luther, played for the Detroit Lions from 1995-2003 and in Denver in 2004. Luther later returned to the Broncos as team chaplain for two years, including the team’s Super Bowl-winning season in 2015.

The pick was announced by Broncos legend and former tight end Tony Scheffler. Next pick: Round 4, 121st overall.

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Utah OLB Jonah Elliss could be perfect draft target for Rams after stellar workout

Utah’s Jonah Elliss tested off the charts in his workout for teams this week and could be a great pass-rush target for the Rams

Signs point toward the Los Angeles Rams selecting an edge rusher early in the draft this year, whether that’s at No. 19 or in the second round at No. 52. It’s not guaranteed to happen, but with the talent at that position and the Rams’ need for pass-rush help, it makes all the sense in the world.

If they don’t find an edge rusher they like in the first or second round, Jonah Elliss out of Utah should be an option in Round 3. He may be undersized at just 6-foot-2 and 248 pounds, but he has a high motor and long arms, which is a great combination for a pass rusher.

Smaller edge rushers have never scared off the Rams, either. They selected Byron Young in the third round last year and also found success with Ogbo Ogbonnia previously.

What makes Elliss an especially intriguing prospect is his short-area quickness. Elliss worked out for teams this week and he put on a show. According to Dane Brugler of The Athletic, he posted a 4.17-second short-shuttle time and 6.69 in the three-cone. If official, that three-cone time would be the fastest of any edge rusher in NFL combine history, edging out Bruce Irvin’s 6.70 in 2012.

The fastest three-cone time this year was Marshawn Kneeland at 7.02 seconds, for comparison. Young had one of the fastest times at his position last year when he ran a 7.19 in the three-cone and he landed with the Rams, so perhaps Elliss could be next.

He also showed impressive explosiveness at his workout, jumping 38 inches in the vertical and 10 feet in the broad jump. Those would both be among the best at his position at this year’s combine, too.

Elliss is projected to be a third- or fourth-round pick, but if the Rams want him, they’ll have to select him with either the 83rd or 98th overall pick because there’s no way he’ll fall to No. 153 after that impressive workout.

2024 NFL draft: Giants address multiple needs in 7-round mock

The New York Giants address multiple needs and still land a QB in the first 7-round Giants Wire mock draft of 2024.

The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana gets underway this week and draft prospects will rise or fall depending on how they test.

Before those wild swings occur, those of us at Giants Wire took our first stab at a full 7-round mock draft focusing solely on the New York Giants.

Because our previous Round 1 mock draft was so controversial, we eliminated all trades in this one. That’s obviously not how the actual draft will play out but only allowing a single trade last time was justifiably unrealistic as well.

For this mock draft, we once again used the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator and left all settings on default. We chose only for the Giants.

Here’s a look at the Giants’ seven-pick haul.

Vikings 2024 NFL draft scouting report: Utah EDGE Jonah Elliss

Utah EDGE Jonah Elliss played a pivotal role for the Utes during his career. What does his 2024 NFL Draft profile look like?

Welcome to SKOL Search!

This series will be your guide to the 2024 draft class. From scouting reports to mock drafts and exploring different scenarios, we will be covering the NFL draft and the future of the Minnesota Vikings from all angles.

The focus of the draft class in this space will be on the Vikings’ major needs at quarterback, running back, defensive line and edge rusher. We will also focus on wide receiver since it’s a loaded class and an increased chance to get a Stefon Diggs-type steal in the later rounds.

The Vikings are slated to have 9 picks going into the NFL draft and they need to make the most out of them.

Full 7-round 2024 NFL mock draft: Patriots trade up to No. 1 overall in post-Bill Belichick rebuild

The Patriots get aggressive and trade up to No. 1 overall in this full seven-round 2024 NFL mock draft

The New England Patriots parted ways with the greatest coach in NFL history, signaling a much-needed reboot last week.

They are slated to pick at No. 3 in the 2024 NFL draft, which puts them only two spots away from the top of the board and complete control of their first-round pick. Quarterback is the clear direction for the Patriots, unless they want to continue playing a bad game of tag between Bailey Zappe and Mac Jones.

They could certainly leave things up to chance and get their guy at No. 3, but they’d run the risk of missing out on Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, who are widely regarded as the top-two options at the quarterback position. Or, they could start the post-Belichick rebuild off with a bang by being aggressive and trading up to get their guy.

That’s what happens in this mock draft with the Patriots trading their 2024 first-round pick, 2024 third-rounder and 2025 first-rounder to the Chicago Bears for the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft.

2024 NFL mock draft: Eagles add elite depth at the cornerback, safety position

We’re doing a 2024 NFL mock draft roundup, and the Philadelphia Eagles are projected to add depth at cornerback and safety

The Eagles are 11-6 and looking for a reset entering the playoffs after a 27-10 loss to the Giants in the season finale.

Even with Nick Sirianni’s team clinching a playoff berth for the third straight year, it’s never too early to look ahead at the NFL draft, and with so many holes on defense, Howie Roseman has the assets to retool the roster.

Philadelphia has never drafted an off-the-ball linebacker in the first round, and they won’t this spring either, but Howie Roseman will reload in the trenches and could get a familiar name in the second round.

We’re looking ahead, and mock draft roundups have the Birds restocking in the trenches or the secondary.

2024 NFL mock draft: Eagles reload in secondary with All-American cornerback

We’re looking at a 2024 NFL Mock Draft and the Baltimore Ravens are projected to land cornerback Quinyon Mitchell out of Toledo

The Eagles are 10-4 and looking to snap a three-game losing streak when they host Tommy DeVito and the New York Giants on Christmas Day.

Even with Nick Sirianni’s team clinching a playoff berth for the third straight year, it’s never too early for a look ahead at the NFL draft.

Philadelphia has never drafted an off-the-ball linebacker in the first round, and they won’t this spring either, but Howie Roseman will reload in the trenches and could get a familiar name in the second round.

We’re looking ahead, and mock draft roundups have the Birds restocking in the trenches or the secondary.

2024 NFL draft: Bowl season EDGE big board

2024 NFL draft: Bowl season EDGE big board from Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon

Welcome to winter! For most 2024 NFL draft prospects, it’s now draft prep season. A few still have bowl games on the schedule, but the season to impress NFL talent evaluators on the field is largely complete.

Up next in the positional rankings are the EDGE group. Call them defensive ends or outside linebackers — often changing between the two roles in the same game — these players are primarily pass rushers. It’s a position with one of the highest bust rates but also one where scheme fit matters a ton.

Offensive tackles

Wide receivers (via Brennen Rupp)

Cornerbacks

Saints get the steal of the year in this 2024 mock draft

The Saints got the steal of the year in this 2024 mock draft, landing a top-five prospect at left tackle. But it would shut the door on Trevor Penning:

What are the New Orleans Saints going to do to cure what ails them this offseason? Many Saints fans are hoping for an exciting young quarterback to take over for Derek Carr, who has looked more like a free agent bust than a franchise-saving pickup through his first 13 games as their starter. Others are looking to get faster defensively or more explosive in the receiving corps.

But a lot of draft experts are predicting the Saints will add to their offensive line, and that would make sense, too. It fits New Orleans’ established strategy with 11 picks in the top two rounds invested in the offensive or defensive lines since 2015, when Jeff Ireland took over the college scouting department. And this projection from Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy has the Saints doing just that, picking Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt in the first round at No. 9 overall.

Alt, who formally declared for the 2024 draft as an underclassman entrant, would be the steal of the year if he fell to New Orleans. He’s a top-five talent in the upcoming draft class with more than 2,200 career snaps behind him (almost exclusively at left tackle). He’s drawn four penalty flags and allowed four sacks in his three-year run at Notre Dame.

The Saints have preached patience with Trevor Penning despite benching him, and everything head coach Dennis Allen has said publicly suggests Penning will have the opportunity to win his starting job back in the spring. But drafting Alt (or another left tackle) in the first round would slam the door shut on Penning returning to the starting lineup. Maybe the Saints would then consider moving him to guard, as they did with Andrus Peat. Or maybe they would just cut ties altogether and see what they could get for him in a trade.

Back to Popejoy’s mock draft: this was a two-round projection, and he had the Saints using the pick coming back to them from the Denver Broncos on Utah linebacker/defensive end Jonah Elliss. The younger brother of former Saints linebacker Kaden Elliss, he’s a 6-foot-2, 246-pounder who doesn’t quite meet the athletic thresholds the Saints maintain at defensive end.

But Elliss has been disruptive. He created a career-high 39 pressures in 2023 (with 12 sacks) plus 16 tackles for loss, 3 pass breakups, and a forced fumble; his draft stock is on the rise despite a season-ending injury suffered in mid-November. He can certainly play, but the question is whether it would take Allen and the Saints coaching staff three years to figure that out like it did with Zack Baun.

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