‘He’s always been that guy:’ How the Falcons found value three times over in Ruke Orhorhoro

The character makeup only adds to the way Orhorhoro looks and plays, too, which is always among the first things to catch people’s attention.

Take Orhorhoro’s new position coach, Jay Rodgers, for example. He didn’t have the luxury of seeing Orhorhoro at practice, nor could he get the boots-on-the-ground information firsthand the way Heard could. Rodgers’ first exposure to Orhorhoro was the tape.

Quickly, Rodgers said, he was able to establish that Orhorhoro “has the profile to be a really good football player in the National Football League.”

“He does some things that a lot of other people can’t do,” Rodgers said, “because of the things that he can bring to the table.”

What are those things? Well, it starts with Orhorhoro’s ability to use his length to lock guys out, his power to knock people back and his speed to get off blocks. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that Orhorhoro has the physical traits for success on the gridiron.

“There’s a lot of plays that come his direction that have to go elsewhere,” Rodgers explained. “And when you start to see that presence in the middle of the defense, that’s of value to an NFL team, especially us.”

Long-time defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and recent newcomer David Onyemata are both closer to the end of their careers than the beginning, and everyone understands that. It’s why there was such conviction by the Falcons to find reliable youth that could partner with Jarrett and Onyemata in the near future.

Enter a large and energetic Orhorhoro. However, there’s one more word that can be used to describe him: Versatile.

Throughout his years with Clemson, it wasn’t uncommon to see Orhorhoro utilized all across the Tigers’ defensive front. From zero- to nine-techniques, Orhorhoro did a little bit of everything through his college years. This is something the Falcons’ front office has valued since Terry Fontenot took over as general manager in 2021.

Even with a new coaching staff, the value in versatility is as evident as ever. Rodgers said he begins every new year in the defensive line room with the same mantra: “The more you can do, the more you get to do.”

In this way, Orhorhoro fits perfectly, seeing as his skill set allows the Falcons options in placement and usage.

“You feel like he’s almost a piece of clay that you can continue to mold,” Heard said.
“And we feel like he’s going to continue to get better and better. Of course, that’s what we hope.”

It’s a hope that ultimately brought Orhorhoro to Atlanta, a place in need of versatile, big-bodied and energetic defensive linemen.

“He’s everything we preach from a scouting perspective of the type of guy we want to bring in here,” Heard said.