Broncos rookie pass rusher has quietly been looking like an absolute steal

The Denver Broncos have had arguably the best overall pass rush in the NFL this season, and the numbers back it up. Whether you want to talk about leading the league in sacks or overall pass rush win rate, the Broncos have figured out a formula to make game-changing plays consistently week after week.

One of the players who has really been coming on for this team as of late is rookie third-round pick Jonah Elliss, who has quietly racked up a total of five sacks already this season. Elliss has played a fairly minimal role for the Broncos' defense, but an impactful role nonetheless.

In 13 games, Elliss has played less than 40 percent of the Broncos' defensive snaps and has still managed to rack up five sacks already this year, including a sack in three consecutive games as the Broncos broke for the bye week following Monday night's win against the Browns.

Broncos 2024 rookie class continues to look great with Jonah Elliss emergence

The emergence of Elliss dating back to the preseason gave the Broncos confidence to move on from another former third-round pick -- Baron Browning -- who was traded to the Arizona Cardinals for a sixth-round pick back in November. The Broncos have felt strongly about their rotation all year and have been rewarded for their faith.

Nik Bonitto has emerged as a star off the edge for the Broncos. Jonathon Cooper became a second contract player and one of the team's most consistent defensive players. Now, Elliss is making his mark this season and has joined the ranks of Broncos players with at least five sacks this season.

Elliss is a tremendous athlete and the Broncos felt strongly about him in the 2024 NFL Draft process. Sean Payton has consistently been complementary of the Elliss football bloodline and previously coached Jonah's brother Kaden when he was with the New Orleans Saints. The football IQ and makeup of Elliss is unmistakable when you watch him play as he carries himself like a veteran out there on the field.

With five sacks on just over 300 snaps this season, Elliss is proving to be one of the most effective pass rushers in this year's rookie class on a per-snap basis, even more so than some of his peers drafted in the first round...

The Broncos have to be thrilled about the returns of this year's rookie class already. So many players have stepped up, especially in recent weeks, and are growing before our very eyes. This has the potential to be a benchmark type of NFL Draft class with hits at just about every turn.