2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Clemson DL Ruke Orhorhoro

From now until the 2024 NFL Draft, we create scouting reports for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day Three selections and priority undrafted free agents Today, I’ll be profiling Clemson DL Ruke Orhorhoro.  

RUKE ORHORHORO, DL, CLEMSON (R-SENIOR) — 6-4, 294 POUNDS.

SENIOR BOWL INVITE

MEASUREMENTS

THE GOOD

—Has good size and length for the position
— Possesses a filled-out frame with good bulk for the trenches
— Battle-tested defender with three years of starting experience
— Versatile defensive lineman, having played up and down the line of scrimmage
— Can take on double teams and hold his spot against the run
— Fights pressure well when he uses his long arm to extend back blockers
— Can work laterally down the line of scrimmage to get off blocks
— Will create problems for opposing blockers on twists and stunts
— Displays good pursuit of the football
— Has a strong bull rush to shock back blockers as a pass rusher as well as against the run
— Will utilize the club/swim combo as a pass rusher to defeat opposing blockers

THE BAD

— Isn’t overly twitchy as an athlete
— Will get upright in his stance and lose leverage on occasion
— Still pretty raw when it comes to fundamentals at the position
— Has a bad tendency of getting glued on blocks
— Needs to work on hand usage and disengaging from blocks
— Will get washed at times in the run game if he doesn’t have a stable base
— Can be more aggressive in imposing his will, given his physical traits
— Needs to develop an effective counter to his bull rush as a pass rusher

BIO

— Redshirt Senior prospect from Lagos, Nigeria
— Born October 13, 2001 (age 22)
— Born in Nigeria and moved to the United States at age nine
— Played basketball the majority of his youth and did not start playing football until his junior year
— Had 97 tackles (25.5 for loss), 12.0 sacks, nine pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries in 1,526 career snaps over 53 games (30 starts) from 2019-23
— Committed to Clemson and played 84 snaps over nine games in 2019 and posted five tackles, 1.5 for loss, and 0.5 sacks
— Played only 33 defensive snaps over four games in 2020, earning a medical redshirt after sustaining an injury against Wake Forest, coming back late in the year
—  Started nine games in 2021 and was credited with 42 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery over 502 snaps
— Started nine games in 2022 and made 28 tackles, eight tackles for loss, four sacks, five pass breakups, and a fumble recovery in 495 snaps
— Started 12 games in 2023 and made 22 tackles, eight tackles for loss, a career-high five sacks, and a pass breakup in 412 snaps
— Third-team All-ACC (2023)

TAPE BREAKDOWN

Clemson DL Ruke Orhorhoro has had quite the journey up to this point as he knocks on the door of the National Football League. Orhorhoro was born in Nigeria and immigrated to the United States when he was nine years old, moving to the state of Michigan, where he starred initially on the hardwood before giving football a chance in his junior year. His size and raw athleticism impressed college recruiters enough for Orhorhoro to have his fair share of suitors to play college football, ultimately opting to sign with Clemson, where he would go on to play five seasons with the Tigers.

When you pop in the tape on Orhorhoro, you see a good-looking defensive lineman coming off the bus. He has the ideal size, height, and length you look for in a base 3-4 defensive end, as well as the experience, having played all over the defensive line in college. He played everywhere from outside the tackle on the edge to head-up with the center at the nose tackle spot. He is a strong run defender, having the strength to take on double-team blocks and clog up running lanes, as you can see in the two clips below.

Orhorhoro does a good job working laterally down the line of scrimmage, fighting pressure against blockers to fill gaps and get in position to make the tackle. He also can overwhelm blockers at the point of attack with his bull rush, lining up at the nose tackle spot and utilizing a long arm to jolt blockers back, as you can see in the clip below, to get penetration into the backfield to make the tackle on the running back from Wake Forest.

You see that same usage of power by Orhorhoro on his pass rush, operating more as a bull in a China shop rather than a player with finesse when it comes to rushing the passer. Check out this sack Orhorhoro gets against North Carolina, where he lines up outside shade of the left guard, then stunts down and gives the center a big initial punch, jolting him back onto his heels as Orhorhoro fights off the block and wraps up UNC’s Drake Maye in the pocket for the sack.

Orhorhoro has some finesse as a pass rusher, being that he is an athletic defensive lineman for his size. You will occasionally see him utilize a club/swim combo to defeat blockers on his pass rush, like in the clip below against Florida State, getting to the outside shoulder of the left guard shortly after the ball is snapped as he traps the guard’s left arm by his hip as makes it through the gap and into the pocket to lay a big hit on QB Jordan Travis as he releases the football, forcing the incompletion thanks to the pressure.

Still, there are plenty of instances on tape where you see Orhorhoro so close to making a play, but he doesn’t finish. Whether it be getting off a block at the last minute, finishing the tackle on a ball carrier he has hands-on, or turning the corner on his pass rush in the pocket, Orhorhoro’s stat line could be much better with a few more finished plays from this past season. Here’s one instance against UNC where Orhorhoro beats his man on the pass rush with a club/swim and makes it into the backfield. However, Orhorhoro is unable to turn the corner as Maye starts to scramble out of the pocket, nearly getting the sack.

Orhorhoro also has a bad tendency to stay glued to blocks and occasionally loses leverage as he pops up in his stance once engaged with blockers. This loss of leverage will lead to him giving ground against the run, as you see in the clip below against Florida State, where Orhorhoro gets his shoulders turned by the center coming down on him after the snap of the ball, washing him down the line which creates a big cut back lane the runner utilizes to get into the second level of the defense.

CONCLUSION

Ruke Orhorhoro is a versatile defensive lineman who can play inside in a base 4-3 or 3-4 defensive front as well as kick outside on early run downs as a pumped-up 4-3 edge defender. He is a strong run defender who flashes as a pass rusher but needs to continue his refinement with his hand usage as a pass rusher while also improving his consistency at finishing plays as well as maintaining leverage to become a reliable starter at the next level. Still, there is plenty to like about Orhorhoro, given that he only started playing football at age 17, meaning his best football is ahead of him.

As far as pro comparisons go, Orhorhoro compares favorably to Dre’Mont Jones, coming out of Ohio State, who now plays for the Seahawks. Jones has a similar type of build to Orhorhoro, as well as play style, as Jones is more a stout run defender than a pass-rusher, being a guy that can move up and down the line of scrimmage and gets a fair amount of pressure on the quarterback that may not get reflected in the stat sheet.

The Steelers need to continue adding to their defensive line with Cameron Heyward getting longer in the tooth and a lack of suitable long-term options in-house. Orhorhoro projects as a guy who would fit their system as a base 3-4 defensive end who can also play in sub packages, rotating in early in his career as a capable run defender as he continues to develop as a pass rusher.

Projection: Day Two
Depot Draft Grade: 7.8 – Potential Starter/Good Backup (Third Round)
Games Watched: vs North Carolina (2023), vs Florida State (2023),