Finding Falcons: What ‘Attracted’ Atlanta to Brandon Dorlus in Draft?

The Atlanta Falcons emphasized adding position flexibility to their defensive line during the draft, and fourth-round pick Brandon Dorlus helped fulfill their goal.

Oregon Ducks defensive end Brandon Dorlus / Christopher Creveling-USA TODAY Sports

When Jay Rodgers spoke with defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus in the lead-up to the 2024 NFL Draft, he offered advice rooted in 16 years of experience.

But Rodgers, the Atlanta Falcons’ defensive line coach, also delivered a subtle promise.

“Hey, don’t get too down during this process,” Rodgers told Dorlus. “You might see your name not be called the first day or second day, but if we have a chance to get you, (we’ll) get you.”

On April 27, Rodgers and the Falcons came through on their word, selecting Dorlus at No. 109 overall.

“I can’t believe it happened,” Dorlus said.

During draft week, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot, head coach Raheem Morris and the rest of the staff finalized a goal: adding size, youth and pass rush to the team’s defensive line.

After bypassing defensive help in the first round to select quarterback Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta used its next three picks on defensive linemen — Clemson’s Ruke Orhorhoro, Washington’s Bralen Trice and Dorlus.

In each case, the Falcons eyed position flexibility. Dorlus, who played both defensive end and tackle at Oregon, said he believes his versatility separates him from other defenders in the class.

But for Morris and the Falcons, it’s something else.

“The cool part about Dorlus was his pass rush, his inside pass rush, his ability to move around and pass rush and be disruptive,” Morris said. “That's what most attracted us to him.”

Morris added Dorlus can play a variety of spots — nose tackle, 4i, three technique — and the 6-3, 283-pounder’s track record supports the claim.

Over his final three years at Oregon, during which he earned All-Pac-12 honors each time, Dorlus saw his alignment fluctuate.

In 2021, he played 354 snaps at three technique, 180 snaps lined up over the tackle at 4i and 106 snaps off the edge, according to Pro Football Focus.

The year after, Dorlus shifted to more of an exterior role, playing just shy of 400 snaps outside the tackle’s shoulder while his three-technique presence dropped to just 86 snaps.

Dorlus’ final act in Eugene was his most balanced. He received 253 snaps at three technique, 159 snaps at 4i and 160 snaps at the edge slot.

The Falcons anticipate maximizing the 23-year-old Dorlus’s alignment versatility, but Morris and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake have a more refined plan for how Dorlus fits alongside defensive tackles Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata.

“His primary trait would be playing on the edge of a human and winning on the pass rush, attacking edges,” Morris said. “Creating that disruption up front that we can use sort of like a Grady, like a DO (David Onyemata). Being able to get the rotation inside with those guys rushing the passer I feel can really help us.”

The Falcons identified the interior defensive line as an area of need and were extensively linked to Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II in the first round.

Atlanta ultimately waited until the second round when they draft Orhorhoro and kept adding with Dorlus and Georgia's Zion Logue in the sixth. Dorlus received a strong recommendation from one of Morris’s coaching friends.

Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi coached Dorlus for each of the past two years. In 2020, Lupoi was the defensive line coach and run game coordinator in Atlanta while Morris served as defensive coordinator and, after five games, interim head coach.

Morris respects Lupoi and his word — and when the Falcons asked about Dorlus, they received enough to feel convicted in making the investment.

Throughout the spring, Morris and Fontenot have noted pass rush comes from more than just outside linebackers and defensive ends; there’s another world inside, one in which Jarrett and Onyemata currently reside.

But Atlanta knew it wanted more, and it feels Dorlus fits the bill.

“I know sometimes we get caught up with just the edge,” Morris said, “but that interior rush we developed around here with the two older guys that we have and our two veterans, to be able to add somebody inside there that can do some of the things, we thought would be pretty critical for us.

“And once again Terry found a great one out in Oregon.”

Fontenot cited the interior rush presence and productivity Dorlus provides.

In 2023, Dorlus logged 6.5 tackles for loss and a team-high five sacks. He deflected nine passes, most among all PAC-12 defensive linemen, and ranked No. 15 in the country with 35 quarterback hurries.

Now starting his journey as a professional, Dorlus wants more consistency; he’s trying to avoid the fancy flavor that at times put him in trouble within his rushes at Oregon, leading him to prioritize having an “A and B” rushing plan with a counter to go alongside.

The Fort Lauderdale, Fla. native doesn’t lack confidence. He thinks he has the highest football IQ and best energy in the draft class — all the while boasting a skill set as well rounded as it is diverse.

“I feel like I do everything,” Dorlus said. “I can stop the run from anywhere, I can pass rush from anywhere. I’m a savvy d-lineman who can beat you with a plethora of moves – my go-to moves and my counter moves.”

Morris said the defensive line is probably the sport’s most rotated position. He envisions a unit where, in games with 60 snaps, the Falcons are getting the best 20 or 30 snaps each interior player has to offer.

Within Lake’s defense, Morris said Atlanta will unveil a special front with six down linemen, along with other four- or five-man fronts.

But when the two masterminds behind the Falcons’ new-look defense arrived, they didn’t have the pieces they needed. Now, they feel like they do — sparked, in part, by the addition of Dorlus.

“It gives you a lot of toys and tools to be able to go out there and be creative as a defensive coordinator,” Morris said.