Noah Elliss NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for Idaho DL

POSITIVES

— Rare size. Hard to find players with this build.

— Comes off the ball with better leverage than expected.

— Covers ground once he gets moving in a direction. Plays better in space than he looks.

— Great upper-body strength. Can toss people aside once engaged properly.

— Flashes good leg drive to be a pocket pusher.

NEGATIVES

— Poor length. Has short arms, and it hurts him on film.

— Poor stop/start athleticism. Struggles to stop, redirect and burst to another direction.

— Below-average balance and anchor. Too often struggles to keep a strong base under him.

— Slow, wild hands. Late to bring his hands up to engage, and they are often placed too wide to take control of blocks.

— Doesn’t add anything as a penetrator. Get-off and the ability to get skinny are not there.

2021 STATISTICS

46 TOT, 6.5 TFL, 1 SK, 1 FR

NOTES

— 3-star recruit in 2017. Originally committed to Mississippi State.

— Three-year starter.

— 2019 season cut short because of injury. (unclear what the injury was)

— 2021 All-Big Sky honorable mention.

OVERALL

Noah Elliss is a planet-sized defensive tackle who will need a bit of work before his potential is fully realized.

In run defense, Elliss’ profile is complicated. He comes off the ball with good leverage despite being on the taller side for the position, which helps him win reps early. Believe it or not, Ellis moves relatively well in space once he gets rolling, too. He can cover decent ground if he ever gets a run-through.

Elliss also packs some mean power in his hands, allowing him to really toss linemen around when he gets a clean strike. However, Elliss’ ability to get that clean strike is poor right now. Not only does Elliss have short arms, but he plays with slow, wild hands and struggles to continue scrapping for better hand positioning. Additionally, Elliss does not have the anchor his size suggests. His raw play strength is adequate, but Elliss’ slow feet often prevent him from keeping his base under him properly, resulting in poor balance. Elliss also lacks the stop/start explosiveness to be a playmaker.

Elliss does not bring much as a pass-rusher. His lack of length and quickness hurt him a lot. That said, Elliss does have moments of quality leg drive and high energy, showcasing the ability to be a pocket pusher. He should not be expected to produce in the passing game, though.

Elliss is a bet on size more than anything. Only so many people are potential NFL athletes at over 340 pounds. Elliss will need training to help speed up his footwork and sharpen his hand usage, but he could develop into a quality backup nose guard in due time.

GRADE: 6.0 (High-level developmental prospect – 5th Round)

PRO COMPARISON: John Jenkins