re: Am I the only one who's not convinced this D is elite?

I guess it depends on what you are comparing. This team is elite when compared to the other defenses fielded this year, based on the first 3 games, which were on average, the same in terms of strength of opponent across the board for major teams.

I don't think you can compare them to elite defenses in history at this point. They have looked great since halftime of game 1, though.

eta:
And just to enhance the SOS counter-argument: I find it disingenuous to dismiss the team because of the teams they have played so far. As stated, EVERY team to which we tend to compare ours has played weak opponents. It's as if some of you would only concede if LSU had played 3 top 10 teams while others maintained their cupcake schedules. It makes absolutely no sense.