2024 NFL draft: Utah edge Jonah Elliss selected by Denver Broncos (2024)

Following a breakout season in 2023, Jonah Elliss is getting his chance to make it in the NFL.

The former Utah edge rusher was selected by the Denver Broncos with the 76th overall pick in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft on Friday, becoming the second Ute to come off the board during this year’s festivities in Detroit.

Safety Cole Bishop went to the Buffalo Bills late in the second round.

It’s fitting that Elliss was drafted this year in the Motor City — his father, Luther Elliss, was a first-round draft pick by the Detroit Lions in 1995 and spent 10 years in the league, including his final season with the Broncos in 2004.

The younger Elliss is the highest Utah defensive end taken in the NFL draft since Nate Orchard was a second-round pick in 2015.

The 6-foot-2, 248-pound Jonah Elliss improved his draft stock considerably during the 2023 season, leading the FBS by averaging 1.2 sacks per game. His 12 sacks in 10 games was only slowed by a torn labrum that forced him to miss the team’s final three games of the season.

Elliss, who bulked up after arriving at Utah and moved from linebacker to defensive end following his freshman season, had his best game last year against UCLA. In the Utes’ 14-7 win, Elliss had 10 tackles, five tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.

In what’s become a family tradition, he joins brothers Kaden, Christian and Noah, who are all currently playing in the NFL.

What experts said about the draft selection

“Jonah Elliss is a smaller edge rusher who doesn’t have great testing numbers — but made a lot of plays at Utah due to his effort and general play awareness,” said The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner, who gave the selection a B grade. “A highly productive player who has a deep bag of tricks, Elliss is more of a third-down pass rusher than a three-down edge. He’ll make plays on third down in the right scheme, though.”

“One of the Broncos’ key needs heading into the draft was for an outside linebacker in the team’s 3-4 scheme. The pass rush needed an upgrade. Elliss profiles perfectly for a stand-up rusher role and has the tools to make an immediate impact as a rotational backer with the upside to develop into a starter,” said ESPN’s Matt Miller. “He’ll work with Jonathon Cooper and Baron Browning to give the Broncos more assets in a division that features Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert at quarterback.”

“The son of massive former Lions DL Luther Elliss, Jonah is — by contrast — an undersized rusher,” said NFL.com’s Eric Edholm. “He broke out last season with quickness off the ball, decent length and consistently good effort. I thought he was more of a Day 3 player than Day 2, but he could surprise me.”

Scouting report on Jonah Elliss

“Elliss’ father is former Utah All-America defensive tackle Luther Elliss who played in the NFL for 10 seasons and is Utah’s defensive tackles coach — so it makes sense that he is an effective hand fighter with a good motor,” said ESPN’s Steve Muench. “He is a technical pass-rusher who makes it tough for blockers to lock on, and he had 12 sacks in 10 games in 2023. Jonah is an effective counterpuncher and rarely stays blocked when he doesn’t win with his first move. He’s a disruptive run-defender who slips blocks. He can kick inside to rush the passer and also drop into underneath coverage.”

“Elliss will have to get stronger if he is to continue being the difference-maker he was in 2023,” said Pro Football Focus’s Trevor Sikkema. “If he can add weight while remaining as quick and flexible, he can be an impactful pass-rusher.”

“They’ll probably question his size, but he played so well,” a Pac-12 offensive coordinator told ESPN. “I thought he was like a miniature Dwight Freeney. We had to make sure we knew exactly where he was.”

Jonah Elliss draft profile

• Position: Edge.
• College: Utah.
• Height: 6-foot-2.
• Weight: 248 pounds.
• Age: 21.
• College stats (three seasons): 78 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, four fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, three pass deflections.

Jonah Elliss’s ranking at edge rusher in 2024 draft class

• The Athletic: No. 11.
• ESPN: No. 10.
• NFL.com: No. 15.