Broncos rookie pass rusher dominates Broncos second week of OTA practices
By Amir Farrell
Denver Broncos rookie third-round outside linebacker Jonah Elliss had himself a day during the team's second week of OTAs. The 21-year-old pass rusher reportedly had multiple pass rush wins in Thursday's practice and appeared to be Denver's most impressive defensive player this week. Following veteran outside linebacker Nik Bonitto's impressive first week of OTAs, Elliss stepped up and had an even better week of practice as a rookie.
Jonah Elliss had a great day today. Blew up a screen. Blew up a QB run. In on a blitz that sacked Zach Wilson.
— Henry Chisholm (@HenryChisholm) May 30, 2024
Last week was Nik Bonitto’s big day. Today it was Elliss.
Elliss blew up a few plays during team periods and was causing havoc for Denver's offensive line. In a room that appears to be wide open in competition for the starting positions on the depth chart, the former Ute has a very real shot at earning the starting nod, even over weak-side linebacker Jonathon Cooper. Drafted 76th overall by head coach Sean Payton and the Broncos, the organization clearly has a specific plan for Elliss in the future of their defensive lineup.
In his final season at Utah in 2023, Elliss recorded 37 total tackles, 12 sacks, three passes defended, and a whopping 16 tackles for loss. The 6 foot 2 linebacker, who has been deemed "undersized" by some, is a very strong rusher at the point of attack, however, he does most of his damage with his talented combination of speed and finesse moves. Elliss' spin move is already NFL caliber and he was showing it off in his second week of OTAs.
While the young pass rusher certainly has an impressive resume and has the family tree of successful athletes in the NFL, Elliss' path to success will certainly not be an easy one. Still fairly young, Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper are not going to let up easy in Denver's competition at the outside linebacker position. Not to mention, former third-round pick Baron Browning still appears to be a force to be reckoned with when healthy.
feed
Although, considering the recent injury history at the position, Elliss certainly has favorable odds to eventually earn the team's starting job at some point during the 2024 season.