Rookie Profile: Ruke Orhorhoro, DL, Atlanta Falcons
Welcome to the Rookie Profile: Ruke Orhorhoro, a defensive lineman out of Clemson. He is from Lagos, Nigeria, and was a 3-star recruit from Lagos High School.
Orhorhoro’s collegiate career got off to a slow start as he appeared in only four games in his first two seasons at Clemson, one of those seasons was the Covis-19-shortened season of 2020.
In 2021 he became a full-time player for the first time and production soon followed as he racked up 11 tackles and 2.5 sacks. He followed that up in 2022 with a 13 tackle and 4 sacks season in 14 games.
His final collegiate season came in 2023 with Clemson. He played in 12 games and set career highs in tackles and sacks, with 13 and 5 respectively.
Measurables
Draft Capital & Landing Spot
Draft Capital- Round 2 Pick 35
- This draft capital is solid for Orhorhoro. While he narrowly missed out on being a first-round selection, this is more than enough to give him the time required to be a future star.
- The significance of this draft capital is that he is likely to take some time to reach his full potential, for a day three pick they may not see that length of time, whereas an early round-two selection is assured he will receive every chance to reach his full potential.
Landing Spot- Atlanta Falcons
- This is a talented Falcons roster and features some players he will certainly start the season behind. It’s a mix of veterans and other rookies will loads of talent.
- Orhorhoro is going to take time to develop, and even more time to earn his way into a significant role. When he does earn that role is is likely to be a solid producer for years to come.
Team Depth Chart
Expected Role: Starting Defensive Lineman
Depth Chart via Fantasy Pros
Fantasy Impact
Orhorhoro had to bide his time and share repetitions during his tenure at Clemson, courtesy of the Tigers’ deep and skilled defensive lines. His playstyle is founded on leverage and explosiveness, and in 2023, he refined these aspects further. Orhorhoro sometimes gets sidetracked by individual confrontations and must maintain his concentration on chasing the ball and executing impactful plays.
His agility and rapid hand movements are prominent in the running game and as a pass rusher, especially when given room to maneuver, making it prudent for teams to consider this when determining his alignments. While his pass rushing could use further development, he is viewed as a rising talent with the potential to become a starter in both odd and even defensive fronts.
Ruke Orhorhoro has loads of talent and the physical attributes to match. He is going to require some seasoning and coaching to reach his full potential, but if he does, the sky is the limit and he could be a disruptive force in the NFL and a productive player in your IDP lineup for years to come.
Check out our 2024 Rookie Rankings Page for a full breakdown of this rookie class.
