Ruke Orhorhoro is a defensive line prospect who was born in Lagos, Nigeria.
While he’s relatively new to the sport, he still could be a prospect to watch in the 2024 NFL Draft. There have been 34 players in NFL history who were born in Nigeria, per Pro Football Reference.
Among the current players are Nelson Agholor, David Onyemata, Emmanuel Ogbah, Samson Ebukam, Efe Obada, Prince Tega Wanogho, Amen Ogbongbemiga, David Ojabo, Joseph Ossai, Kingsley Jonathan, and Moro Ojomo. Orhorhoro will soon join that list.
Here’s everything you need to know about him.
How Tall Is Ruke Orhorhoro?
Orhorhoro measured in at 6’4″ at the NFL Scouting Combine. His height is in the 72nd percentile of defensive tackles and makes him among the taller players at his position in the draft, per Mock Draftable.
How Much Does Orhorhoro Weigh?
Orhorhoro weighed in at 294 pounds. He’s one of the leaner defensive tackles in the draft at the 21st percentile and is comparable to Michigan defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, who is 299 pounds.
How Old Is Orhorhoro?
Orhorhoro was born on Oct. 13, 2001, and is 22 years old. According to Dane Brugler of The Athletic, the average prospect is 23.24 years old, therefore Orhorhoro would be younger. Nora Princiotti of The Ringer reported that the average age of a first-round pick fell from 22.6 in 2000 to 21.7 in 2018.
What School Did Orhorhoro Go To?
Orhorhoro attended Clemson. Clemson has had 249 professional football players with 287 players drafted, per Pro Football Reference. Former Clemson safety Brian Dawkins was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018 and was a four-time All-Pro.
Revisiting Orhorhoro’s College Career
Orhorhoro began his collegiate career at Clemson in 2019 after playing high school football in Michigan, having played the sport for only two seasons. The defensive lineman had five tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a half-sack in nine games. He qualified for a medical redshirt the following season after suffering an injury and playing in four games.
His breakout season came in 2021, where he had 42 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three pass deflections, and a fumble recovery in 13 games (nine starts). He was named fourth-team All-ACC by Phil Steele.
In his redshirt junior season, Orhorhoro was named a third-team All-ACC selection by Steele. He was credited with 28 tackles, eight tackles for loss, four sacks, five pass deflections, nine quarterback hurries, and a fumble recovery in 14 games in 2022.
Not only did Steele name Orhorhoro a third-team All-ACC pick, but the league itself did. College Football Network named Orhorhoro a second-team All-ACC pick, while he had 22 tackles, eight tackles for loss, a career-high five sacks, and a pass breakup over 12 games.
Orhorhoro’s Potential In the NFL
The 22-year-old defensive tackle measured in with an arm length of 34″ and a hand size of 9 3/8″. He posted a 40-yard dash of 4.89 seconds (1.67 10-yard split), along with a 4.67-second 20-yard shuttle, 7.40-second three-cone drill, a 32″ vertical jump, a 9’8″ broad jump, and 29 repetitions in the bench press.
Pro Football Network draft analyst Ian Cummings sees Orhorhoro as a valuable defensive lineman in a number of fronts. He also envisions the possibility of the prospect playing defensive end in 3-4 base defenses and the nose tackle in pass-rushing situations.
“The exciting element of Orhorhoro’s evaluation is that he’s so schematically flexible,” Cummings wrote. “He likely fits best as a disruptive 3-tech at the next level with his profile. But he can play big EDGE at 5-tech or rotate inside and work across interior alignments with his lateral athleticism and power. His run defense improvements in 2023 only embolden this freedom.
“Going further, with his explosiveness, Orhorhoro is dangerous in NASCAR packages, where he’s able to launch from greater depth, load his hips, and build up momentum into contact. There, his power and motor can be a lot to deal with.”
KEEP READING: Ian Cummings’ Full Scouting Report of Ruke Orhorhoro
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