Former Clemson Tigers defensive lineman Ruke Orhorhoro entered the 2024 NFL Draft as one of the top interior defensive line prospects. He had eight tackles for loss and five sacks as a senior, and his pre-draft workouts were off the charts.
At 6-foot-5 and 295 pounds, Orhorhoro posted a 9.92 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) based on his scores at the NFL Combine, which included a 4.89 forty. Orhorhoro's RAS was best among defensive linemen and No. 8 regardless of position.
The Atlanta Falcons liked what they saw enough to trade a second and third-round pick to select him No. 35 overall. Like Michael Penix Jr. selected before him by the Falcons, Orhorhoro was looking up the depth chart at two firmly entrenched starters, including fellow Clemson alum Grady Jarrett.
Jarrett was released by the Falcons after the 2024 season, clearing the path for Orhorhoro in new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich's 3-4 defense.
Despite the new scheme, Orhorhoro feels right at home under Ulbrich, thanks to his time with the Clemson Tigers.
"Towards my last year at Clemson, we kind of switched to more attack style. The d-line getting up field, linebackers playing off of them, and it's very similar to this," Orhorhoro said of Ulbrich's defense. "A little more aggressive with this defense. It's very much similar, and I'm very comfortable in it."
Jarrett was the captain and leader of the Falcons' defense for years. Orhorhoro has some of those traits as well, but he's also happy to have experience to lean on.
"We all have leadership qualities, but it's always good to bank on vets that have been playing a long time. (Morgan) Fox has been playing 10 years. O (David Onyemata) been playing 10 years. So, when you've been doing work at such a high level, man, it's hard to get to 10 years in this league. When you've got two of those guys in the room, it's a lot to learn from them," Orhorhor said.
Orhorhoro played just 148 snaps as a rookie, but he wasn't drafted to make an immediate impact. He was drafted to fill the very large shoes of Grady Jarrett.
Thanks to the Clemson Tigers, Orhorhoro is making the transition go smoothly.
