Ruke Orhorhoro Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

School: Clemson

Class: 5th Year Senior

Position: DL

HT: 6’4

WT: 294 lbs

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #81

Background: Ruke Orhorhoro has had an unexpectedly impressive career at Clemson up until this point. Ruke has been able to climb through the depth charts and earn a majority of reps along that Clemson defensive line. Ruke is originally from Lagos, Nigeria but moved to America at an early age and began his pursuit of a career in athletics. As a young kid and through high school, he played basketball and was one of the better players in the area. Orhorhoro settled in River Rouge, Michigan and attended River Rouge High School. His first football game was in the fall of 2017. Instantly he saw success on the field, and the offers started to follow. In 2018 as a senior, Orhorhoro tallied 13 sacks to go with 22 tackles for loss. He had officially arrived, despite being extremely raw, the potential was undeniable. He ultimately chose Clemson over Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, and Penn State.

College: His first two years at Clemson were limited in terms of his contributions. Ruke was relatively new to the sport and was buried on a depth chart that included future NFL stars. In his later years at Clemson, starting in 2021, injuries forced Ruke to the top of the depth chart. When he was given this opportunity, he became a star. In 2021, Ruke was able to tally 8 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. In 2022, he came into his own, being named to Third Team All-ACC by multiple outlets. Ruke was a Third Team All-ACC selection in 2023 after putting together another career year.

Strengths: He has a relentless drive from the interior of the defensive line. He is a high motor, high energy player who is the heart of the defense. He has impressive strength at the position. He combines his raw strength with natural length to get into the chest of the opponent and win those battles in the phone booth. Orhorhoro gains leverage with his lower half by setting a wide base. He weasels his way through gaps in the line with violent movements. His strength is shown when defending the run. He controls the gaps and can bring down any runner with ease. Orhorhoro has a variety of pass rush moves that interior offensive linemen have no defense for. Ruke also excels in stunts and twists due to his superior athleticism and movement skills.

Weaknesses: He projects as a 1-tech at the next level but he is a bit small for that position. Guys entering the NFL as 1-techs have elite movement skills and much more mass. Orhorhoro also relies too heavily on mechanics rather than instincts or his obvious athleticism. Ruke struggles to combat help or chip blocks with any level of effectiveness. He shows hesitancy out of his stance when deciphering between pass or run.

Scheme Fit: 3-4

Ideal Role: 1-tech

Best Team Fits: LAC, KC, DET

Player Comparison: Sebastian Joseph-Day

Player Grade: 78.3