Ruke Orhorhoro NFL Draft Profile
Ruke Orhorhoro Scouting Report
2024 NFL Draft Measurements
6’4″ / 290 lbs.
Introduction
Ruke Orhorhoro is a former 3-star recruit from River Rouge, Michigan. According to 247sports, he attended River Rouge High School and received 24 division I offers while playing for the Panthers. He was also ranked as a top 50 strongside defensive end in the nation. Some players he was ranked behind include George Karlaftis, Zach Harrison, and David Ojabo. Before making his final decision, he officially visited the University of Kentucky and Clemson. After almost 3 months after visiting Clemson, he decided to play for the Tigers.
Orhorhoro joined the Tigers back in 2019 and got a few snaps as a true freshman. In 3 games, he racked up a total of 4 tackles and had half a sack. As a sophomore, he did not record any stats. However, that did not stop him from working on his game and getting ready for a crucial 2021 season. In 13 games, he recorded 36 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Last season, he took a small step back as far as his production goes. He had 23 tackles, 4 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery. Finally, in his last season with the Tigers, he made sure to make it his best. Before the bowl game against Kentucky, he had 25 tackles (13 solo), 5 sacks, and a pass deflection. Now let’s get into the Ruke Orhorhoro scouting report
Strengths
Run Defense
The first thing that stands out about his game is his ability to stop the run at the line of scrimmage. He does a very good job of diagnosing the run directly off the snap and immediately clogging the inside lane. His ability to gain leverage directly off the snap is due to his ability to keep his pad level low and his lower body strength. If he is not able to penetrate the line and get in the backfield, he does a great job of using his play strength to overpower the opposing lineman and force them to close the gap.
Competitive Toughness
As you can probably guess from the previous paragraph, Orhorhoro has amazing competitive toughness and can perform regardless of the competition. His aggressiveness allows him to win directly off the snap and gain the necessary leverage. His consistency is also very impressive to watch. From game to game, he showed his ability to perform against a variety of offensive linemen. This kind of motor and competitiveness will allow him to be very successful in the NFL.
Athleticism
Ruke Orhorhoro is an undersized yet very athletic 3-technique defensive tackle. Although he is undersized, he does a good job of staying balanced throughout his rush. As previously mentioned, he is very good off the snap due to his explosiveness and acceleration. This allows him to be the first to engage at the point of attack. From there, he can use his lateral agility to clog lanes and get around opposing blockers.
Weaknesses
Hand Usage
One of the only things preventing Orhorhoro from being one of the best defensive tackles in his class is his hand usage. Due to his below-average size for a DT, he has adequate strike power. This inhibits his ability to shed blocks and penetrate the line. His hand usage also prevents him from being able to keep his leverage throughout his rush. Going forward, he needs to work on maintaining proper hand placement from the point of attack to when he needs to disengage.
Final Thoughts on Ruke Orhorhoro Scouting Report
Overall, Ruke Orhorhoro is a developing prospect that shows a lot of upside and can help a team that struggles against the run. His ability to diagnose the run directly off the snap and adjust his leverage is very impressive. He also plays with a lot of heart and will rarely ever give up on a play. Regardless of talent level, this is the trait you want to see from a rookie in the NFL.
Ruke Orhorhoro NFL Comparison
The raw version of Jonathan Allen coming out of Alabama.
Ruke Orhorhoro Draft Stock
Although Ruke Orhorhoro is a very impressive player, he still has a while before being fully developed. If he was a more polished pass rusher and was more effective with his hands, I could see him being a top pick in the 2nd round. However, I currently have him graded as a late 2nd to early 3rd-round pick.
