Rookie Profile: Jonah Elliss, Edge, Denver Broncos
Welcome to the Rookie Profile for Jonah Elliss, an edge rusher from Utah. Elliss was a 3-star prospect out of Moscow Senior High School in Moscow, ID. He comes from a lineage of NFL players. His father was selected in the first round of the 1995 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions. The current New Orleans Saints linebacker Kaden Elliss is his older brother. Jonah committed to Utah in August of 2020.
In 2021 he saw action in 13 total games. One of those games was the Rose Bowl against the Ohio State Buckeyes. He would acquire 16 total tackles with one sack that season.
His sophomore season showed improvement across the board. Through 11 games he posted 26 total tackles with 3 sacks and 4 tackles for loss. He also had 2 fumbles forced.
For the past few seasons, the Utah Ute’s defense has been a force. Part of that reason is the continued growth of defensive players like Jonah Elliss. 2023 was no different. He continued to improve across the board. Through 10 games Elliss posted career highs in total tackles (37), sacks (12), and tackles for loss (13).
Measurables
Draft Capital & Landing Spot
Draft Capital- Round 3 Pick 12 (76)
- Elliss was an exciting prospect to watch during the pre-draft process. To me, he was one of the top-edge rushers entering the draft. Day 2 capital is exactly where I had him, however, I had him going slightly higher. He has a plethora of moves at his disposal that make it difficult for blockers to control him. The Broncos needed a solid edge rusher and they landed a stud.
Landing Spot- Denver Broncos
- To me, the Denver Broncos needed two positions the most, quarterback and edge rusher. They locked down both with their first two picks in the draft. Elliss is a technical pass rusher that fits perfectly in a 3-4 scheme. He is quick off the edge creating havoc in the backfield. On the other hand, he utilizes his hands to maneuver around blockers when needed. He will look to add much-needed help for the Broncos. There is a chance that Jonah Elliss will make an immediate impact on the team.
Team Depth Chart
Expected Role: Starting Edge Rusher
Depth Chart via Fantasy Pros
Fantasy Impact
The Broncos do not have much in front of Elliss from making him a day-one starter. I do not expect him to get 50-60 tackles in his first year. However, I think just below 50 tackles like 45-47 with 5-7 sacks in his realm of possibilities.
Jonah Elliss will impact the Bronco’s rushing defense tremendously. He can be a solid stash for your IDP teams as a multi-starter that averages 6 sacks per season. I do not think he will be an every-week starter for fantasy. But there will be that game or two where he disrupts everything the quarterback tries to do by getting 2 to 3 sacks. I am drafting him in later rounds when I can.
Check out our 2024 Rookie Rankings Page for a full breakdown of this rookie class.
