Glauber: Ellis last man standing from 2000

DENVER

Looking back on it now, Shaun Ellis is stunned that he is the last man standing.

Part of what figured to be a historic draft, Ellis was one of four Jets first-round picks in 2000. Now, 10 years later, the 33-year-old defensive end is the lone survivor. The team's third-round pick that year, wide receiver Laveranues Coles, couldn't make this year's team, leaving Ellis by himself.

"To tell you the truth, I thought we'd all still be here today," Ellis said. "It seemed like we all had a chance to be here for a long time."

On paper, the draft had the makings of one of the best harvests ever. In Bill Parcells' only season as the Jets' general manager, he traded wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson to the Buccaneers for two first-round picks. That gave Parcells four first-rounders, the most ever in an NFL draft.

Within a matter of hours on draft day, Parcells filled several critical needs:

Ellis, a Tennessee defensive star, went 12th overall.

South Carolina pass rusher John Abraham was taken with the next pick.

Marshall quarterback Chad Pennington went at No. 18.

West Virginia tight end Anthony Becht was 27th.

Parcells then took Coles out of Florida State in the third round to fill the void left by Johnson's departure.

But one by one, they departed. All except Ellis.

Abraham was traded to the Falcons in 2006 and has been with them ever since. He is having a solid year, with four sacks in the first five games.

Pennington was released in August 2008 after the Jets traded for Brett Favre. He now is a Dolphins backup.

Becht was with the Jets through the 2004 season and later played for Tampa Bay, St. Louis and Arizona. He is out of football.

And Coles, who had two stints with the Jets before signing a third time before this year's training camp, was released before the regular season and likely is retired. "It doesn't seem that long ago we were all together," Ellis said. "It's surprising to me that I'm the only one still here."

Ellis has managed to survive despite playing for four coaches – Al Groh, Herman Edwards, Eric Mangini and now Rex Ryan – and playing in four different defensive systems. It has helped that most of the schemes have emphasized the 3-4 defense, although Edwards employed a 4-3 system. The nuances of each scheme have required significant adjustments by Ellis.

"Bill's defensive line had a little more freedom as far as third downs," Ellis said of Parcells' scheme, which was employed by Groh. "We had a lot of four-man rushes. With the [3-4 system] we're in now, it's more three-man rushes, and we draw blocks so other guys can get open. You can't be selfish in this defense."

There are more noted pass- rushers on the team, including Jason Taylor, Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas. But it is Ellis who leads the Jets with 31/2 sacks going into today's game against the Broncos. In his 11th season, the wily veteran is playing as well as ever, employing a mixture of veteran savvy, raw power and wisdom gained from a run that makes him the Jets' longest-tenured player.

He has absorbed plenty of football knowledge along the way, but it's a philosophical view of life in the NFL that now guides him.

"I've gone through a lot of ups and downs with this team, so I've learned to savor it," said Ellis, who made the Pro Bowl last season and 2003. "You've got to lay it on the line every single year, every single game, every single play."

Ellis also knows nothing is guaranteed, especially after coming so close last year to his first-ever Super Bowl appearance; the Jets were beaten by the Colts in the AFC Championship Game. But Ellis senses there's an even better chance to get to the Super Bowl this year.

"I sensed it last year, because we showed dramatic improvement," he said. "But the one thing we didn't do enough of last year was finish games off, and we're doing that this year. We keep doing that, I think this can be a special season."