The Clemson Tigers have produced an abundance of NFL defensive linemen, and DT Ruke Orhorhoro has been on the NFL Draft radar for a few years now.
Here is everything to know about Orhorhoro’s career leading up to the 2024 draft.
Where Did Orhorhoro’s Football Career Start?
Orhorhoro was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and moved to Michigan when he was nine. He attended River Rouge High School in River Rouge, Mich., where he played basketball and football starting his junior year in 2017.
Orhorhoro ranked as the 15th-best overall player in Michigan by 247Sports, 18th-best in Michigan by Rivals.com, and 17th-best in Michigan by ESPN.com.
As a senior in 2018, Orhorhoro had 13 sacks and 22 tackles for loss to go with 60 tackles, scored a touchdown on a fumble return, and helped the team to an 8-2 season.
Orhorhoro committed to Clemson University to play college football.
Revisiting Orhorhoro’s College Career
In his first year at Clemson in 2019, Orhorhoro was credited with five tackles (1.5 for loss, including a half-sack) in 84 snaps over nine games.
He was limited to 33 defensive snaps over four games in 2020, qualifying for a medical redshirt after missing most of the season with an injury sustained in the season opener at Wake Forest.
In 2021, Orhorhoro stepped up in the absence of Bryan Bresee after the fourth game of the season and became a breakout contributor for the Tigers. He was credited with 42 tackles (eight for loss), 2.5 sacks, three pass breakups, and a fumble recovery over 502 snaps in 13 games (nine starts).
The @ClemsonFB program has a track record of sending productive defensive linemen to the NFL, and Ruke Orhorhoro is up next. 🐅#ALLIN | #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/UH2wwpWeYm
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) April 16, 2024
In 2022, Orhorhoro put up 28 tackles (eight for loss), four sacks, five pass breakups, and a fumble recovery in 495 snaps from scrimmage over 14 games (nine starts).
In his final season in 2023, Orhorhoro was credited with 22 tackles (eight for loss), a career-high five sacks, and a pass breakup in 412 snaps over 12 games (all starts).
Orhorhoro’s Potential in the NFL
Pro Football Network draft analyst Ian Cummings said Orhorhoro has the ceiling to be an impact player in the league.
“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.”
MORE: Ian Cummings’ Full Scouting Report of Ruke Orhorhoro
Orhorhoro’s strengths, according to Cummings, include being an athletic, alignment-versatile defender who’s played everywhere from 0-tech to 5-tech, possessing elite explosive capacity, shooting through gaps, and stressing blockers early.
Highlights, Records, and More
In 2022, Orhorhoro was a third-team All-ACC selection by Phil Steele and Pro Football Focus.
In 2023, he was a third-team All-ACC selection by the league and by Phil Steele. He also garnered second-team All-ACC honors from College Football Network.
Orhorhoro also recorded three tackles (all for loss) with a sack at North Carolina State, becoming the first Clemson interior defensive lineman with at least three tackles for loss in a game since Grady Jarrett in 2014.
KEEP READING: Top DTs in the 2024 NFL Draft
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