Atlanta Falcons Trade Up in Second Round for Clemson DL

The Atlanta Falcons addressed depth on their defensive line after trading up in the second round of the NFL Draft.

Atlanta Falcons NFL Draft Ruke Orhorhoro / Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Falcons stunned the NFL when they selected quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

It was reported on Friday that they tried to address their biggest need with a trade up into the first round to select UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu but ultimately failed.

Atlanta wasted little time on Friday evening moving up in the second round with a trade with the Arizona Cardinals to select former Clemson Tigers defensive lineman Ruke Orhorhoro.

The Falcons gave up their own second round pick (43 overall) and the third-round pick they got for Calvin Ridley (No. 79) and got No. 35 and No. 186 (6th round) in return according to Field Yates.

At 6'4 and 295 pounds, Orhorhoro is one of the more physically gifted defensive linemen in the NFL Draft. He posted a 4.89 forty at the NFL combine with a 32-inch vertical leap. His relative athletic score (RAS) is an impressive 9.92.

The Falcons are relatively deep on the defensive line if Grady Jarrett returns healthy.
Orhorhoro would join a rotation that includes Jarrett, David Onyemata, Ta'Quon Graham, and the recently un-retired Eddie Goldman.

However, Onyemata is 31 and Jarrett turns 31 on Sunday, Orhorhoro injects youth and a little more height into the room, even if he's primarily a backup his first-few years in the NFL.

Orhorhoro had 25 tackles and five sacks with Clemson in 2023. NFL Network's Lance Zierlein had this to say about Orhorhoro:

"Orhorhoro had to wait his turn and share reps during his time at Clemson, thanks to the Tigers' deep, talented defensive fronts. His game is built upon leverage and explosiveness, but in 2023, he added a little more polish. Orhorhoro can get distracted by individual battles and needs to keep his focus trained on pursuing the ball and making positive plays. His foot quickness and sudden hands shine in the running game and as a pass rusher when he has space to work, so teams would be wise to keep that in mind when it comes to his alignments. The pass rush still needs improvement, but he projects as an ascending talent and future starter in odd or even fronts."