It's been some four years since linebacker Kaden Elliss first walked into the New Orleans Saints' facilities as a seventh-round pick out of Idaho.
Faced with climbing the hill of being a late selection from an FCS school, Elliss arrived in New Orleans with something to prove ... and now, his bank account reflects a successful journey.
The 27-year-old Elliss signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons earlier this spring, fresh off a season in which he recorded 101 tackles, eight sacks, eight tackles for loss and 13 quarterback hits.
And yet, Elliss continues to fly under the radar - at least on the outside - but go back to his time in New Orleans and consider how he was viewed around the building, and a more clear picture unfolds.
For instance, ask Pro Bowl linebacker Demario Davis about his running mate at the second level of the Saints defense, and he'll light up. Here's what Davis said about Elliss last season ...
"(Elliss has) probably been, for the last couple of years, the best-kept secret in the NFL," Davis said. "We knew what type of player he was and now he's getting that opportunity and he's showing it to the world."
Perhaps most importantly, Elliss' transition to the Falcons comes with little uncertainty surrounding his role and fit, as he followed defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, previously the Saints' defensive line coach and co-defensive coordinator, from New Orleans to Atlanta this offseason.
Falcons coach Arthur Smith has praised Elliss for his versatility, noting he can play at the line of scrimmage, stack linebacker and be a part of pressure packages.
Smith stressed down the stretch of last season that pass rush can be generated in several ways and being able to incorporate linebackers into the mix is certainly one of them, as it creates matchup and protection issues for opposing offensive lines.
As such, having Elliss, who can "play a lot of roles" for Atlanta's defense, is valuable for Smith as he enters his third season at the helm ... but where will Elliss align? In short, everywhere - which is the benefit of having versatile players, especially when mixing rush packages.
"He's a linebacker for us," Smith said. "He can play behind the ball. He can play on the ball. Some of the things he can do on third down will be huge. He's a legit pressure player. He can do a lot of jobs. Guys like that are very valuable."
A big emphasis for Smith has been adding position-less football players, particularly on offense - but Nielsen's defense isn't far behind.
Disguising looks and creating confusion for offenses is paramount to defensive success, something Nielsen saw firsthand in New Orleans over the last six years.
As such, nearly every defense strives to do exactly that, but it's only feasible if the right pieces are in place ... and having assets like Elliss goes a long way in accomplishing that feat.
"When you get into the chess match, he can be huge," Smith said. "Is he a rusher? Is he (dropping back in coverage)? He doesn't have to play on the line. He's a valuable roster player who we're excited about."
And, once more, Elliss isn't this scheme-specific player who the Falcons have to tinker around with to figure out how he fits - they already have a strong understanding of that, thanks in large part to Nielsen's presence.
A jack of all trades, Elliss has gone from the underrated seventh-round pick to a "very valuable" piece on Atlanta's revamped defense ... but still, underrated - which Davis believes won't last much longer.
"I don't know if anybody is shocked when they watch it in our building," said Davis. "I'm sure he's shocking a lot of people who didn't know. But just give it time, he's going to be on everybody's radar."
If Elliss' contract didn't put him on radars around the league, it's certainly possible his on-field play in a bigger role under Nielsen will push him over the top.
And for that, there's plenty for the Falcons to be "excited" about ... and it might not be a secret for much longer.
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