A 2023 second-team All-American and first-team All-Pac-12 player, Elliss recorded 12 sacks, 16 tackles for loss, three quarterback hits and a forced fumble in his final season for Utah.

"I don't want to just be a draft pick," Nix said at his introductory press conference. "I want to be able to show my improvements and show that I can do what [they] picked me to do, and that's to go out there and help win games [and] do whatever I can to put his team in a better situation."

"When you watch him, it's pretty calming," Head Coach Sean Payton said. "He's very efficient."

The minutes before Denver's pick wouldn't be without stress. The Falcons surprisingly selected Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth-overall pick, which threw the ensuing picks into flux.