Falcons' Kaden Elliss Receives 'Superstar' Status After 2024 Campaign

In the NFL, a player doesn't have to be a household name to be a superstar. Pro Football Focus' Bradley Locker argued the best example of that with the Atlanta Falcons is linebacker Kaden Elliss.

In an article picking one "secret superstar" from the 2024 season for each team, Locker selected Elliss for the Falcons.

"Much of the reason that Atlanta wasn’t able to make the playoffs fell on a defense that already moved on from defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake, but Elliss put together a well-rounded season," wrote Locker. "His 43 pressures led Atlanta, as did his 20.3% pass-rush win rate — good for third among all defenders with 150 or more pass-rushing snaps. Beyond that, Elliss was solid as a run defender yet again, netting a 70.3 PFF run-defense grade.

"If he can cut down on the missed tackles (13.2%), Elliss could ascend even more in Atlanta in 2025."

Elliss posted a career-best 151 combined tackles, including eight tackles for loss in 2024. He also had a career-high 16 quarterback hits and his first NFL interception along with five sacks and three pass defenses.

His rise to "secret superstar" status really began after Halloween. Elliss posted all five of his sacks and 11 of his quarterback hits in the final nine games. During that stretch, he also had 86 combined tackles.

From Nov. 3 to the end of the season, Elliss averaged 9.6 tackles and more than one quarterback hit per game.

Elliss did that while barely coming off the field. He missed only one snap versus the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 3. Elliss then played every snap in seven of the team's final eight games. In the contest where he didn't line up for every defensive snap, the Falcons defeated the New York Giants 34-7.

Elliss will turn 30 in July, so he's significantly older than the young core Atlanta has built on offense. But Elliss is still the best defensive piece the Falcons have to build around over the next couple seasons.