Sean Payton Critiques Broncos Rookie OLB Jonah Elliss' NFL Debut

The Denver Broncos have to be pleased with their rookie third-rounder.

Aug 11, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Tyler Goodson (31) is tackled by Denver Broncos linebacker Jonah Elliss (52) during the first quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Denver Broncos rookie watch has largely fixated upon quarterback Bo Nix, but there are others who've flashed along the way. Outside linebacker Jonah Elliss made a particularly good impression on Broncos head coach Sean Payton during his professional debut last week in Indianapolis.

Elliss registered a sack and four additional pressures on only nine total pass-rush snaps, and it made heads turn. The 21-year-old from the University of Utah also showed extremely good instincts against the run — a knack that really stood out to his boss.

"He's taking on the run, his run fits and then developing his rush plan," Payton critiqued Elliss on Wednesday. "He was speed and then he had a counter in college, you saw it. Speed, speed with a spin and then it's adding power to that. It's developing his rush plan and certainly taking on the run, whether it's point of attack or backside."

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During the 2024 NFL draft, Elliss was framed as being somewhat of a reach when the Broncos selected him at pick No. 76. That notion is being dispelled rather promptly, but Elliss is fully aware that the jump in talent levels in the rarefied air of the NFL is real.

"The skill level is like everyone is the best," Elliss said after Wednesday's practice. "It's like high school, everyone in high school is the best. Goes to college, now it's the best college players all in the NFL. It's like you're playing the best college team in the NFL, but it's even better because now everything's just one notch higher. So you could definitely tell there's a difference out there, but it was football."

Adjusting to life in the pros requires learning new tricks of the trade on the move, a process that the youngster from Moscow, Idaho, is fully embracing.

"Honestly, it's something you developed as a player throughout the years," Elliss said of adding more pass rush moves. "From high school to now, it's something that I've been trying to work on, craft and really master. I'm nowhere near to mastering it yet, but it's like getting with [Defensive Line] Coach [Jamar Cain] and really working the moves, working what you want to set up, how to set it up and whatnot. For me, it's like speed-to-power sets up a lot of things for me, so that's what I like to do."

Elliss has notable NFL bloodlines, as his father Luther previously suited up for the Broncos, and many of his talented squad of football-playing brothers reached the pro level. Carrying on the family tradition with the team is a cool subplot for sure, but Elliss has already shown flashes of the kind of ability that's got people talking.

Broncos legend Karl Mecklenburg is already a big fan.

"Some players stood out to me, with linebacker Jonah Elliss coming up with a couple of big plays on defense as a pass rusher," the Ring-of-Famer said on X. "It's hard to grade a player from outside the building. I don't know what his assignments were on those specific plays or what the call was in the huddle, but the people in the building know. They've already gone over that film,and each player has been graded both on technique and on assignment for each play. They've been patted on the back, and they've been chewed out in front of their teammates. Everyone knows what is acceptable and what isn't. Everyone understands what is exceptional and what isn't."

For Payton, the old adage always that you can never have enough pass rushers applies. Having Elliss in the rotation is a real bonus.

Mecklenburg's sage words resonate on the best path to developing the raw talent of an intelligent and willing pupil such as Elliss. It also applies massively to how Payton and company are planning to bring up many younger players who will form a large part of the Broncos' new-look roster in 2024.

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