Atlanta Falcons See ‘Perfect Fit’ with DL Ruke Orhorhoro as Fontenot Explains Trade

The Atlanta Falcons added a versatile presence to their defensive line in Clemson’s Ruke Orhorhoro.

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

When Ruke Orhorhoro returned home from his trip to the NFL Combine, he kept a black hat with a red under brim inside his car.

The former Clemson standout defensive tackle received the hat from his Combine visit with the Atlanta Falcons, which he said went well.

Evidently, Atlanta agreed, trading the No. 43 and No. 79 overall selections to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for No. 35, which turned into Orhorhoro, and No. 186.

Minutes later, Orhorhoro placed the hat on top of his head, some two months after initially acquiring it at the Indiana Convention Center.

“I’m glad I kept it,” Orhorhoro said.

The Falcons bypassed defensive help at No. 8 overall Thursday night, opting instead for Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., but general manager Terry Fontenot attempted to move back into the opening frame for a pass rusher.

Fontenot’s tries were unsuccessful – but he had better fortunes Friday.

Atlanta had a group of potential targets stacked together, and Orhorhoro sat atop the board. Fontenot said the 6-4, 294-pound defender is the guy the Falcons wanted most.

So, Atlanta’s brain trust didn’t wait. With no crystal ball in sight, Fontenot and head coach Raheem Morris instead asked themselves whether they felt Orhorhoro would make it to No. 43.

They decided the answer was no.

“You want to be aggressive and you weigh out what you would be giving up to go up, and we believed it was worth it,” Fontenot said. “Because we wanted that player and we have a clear vision of what he's going to be for us.

“And you look at our defensive line and where we are, he's the perfect fit for us, so we’re very excited about it.”

Orhorhoro’s athletic traits stand out both on paper and film; at the NFL Combine, he ran a 4.89 40-yard dash with a 1.67 10-yard split and recorded jumps of 32” in the vertical and 9’8” in the broad.

His athleticism score of 89 overall is the draft’s best mark among defensive tackles, according to NFL.Com.

On the field, Orhorhoro emerged into a consistent contributor for the Tigers, earning All-ACC third-team honors each of the past two seasons.

During his final campaign at Clemson, Orhorhoro registered eight tackles for loss and a career-high five sacks to go along with 26 pressures and 17 hurries across 235 pass rushing snaps.

Intrigue from Atlanta ensued – and just three picks into the draft’s second night, Fontenot and Morris decided they were convicted enough to make a move.

“Talk about a big, powerful, athletic man,” Fontenot said. “Excellent skill set, versatile up front, plays the runs, plays the pass, excellent motor, top-notch makeup. So, we’re very excited about him, the versatility he brings up front, the player he is.”

Morris, discussing the defensive line he inherited this spring, mentioned defensive tackles Grady Jarrett, David Onyemata and Ta’Quon Graham and defensive end Zach Harrison.

Orhorhoro’s path to playing time comes with his versatility, something Fontenot and Morris each mentioned.

The Falcons placed a heightened value on Orhorhoro’s position flexibility, be it at defensive end, nose tackle or three-technique defensive tackle. He moved around quite frequently at Clemson and has proven adept at multiple spots.

As Fontenot mentioned, Atlanta views Orhorhoro as a “perfect fit” within its current defensive line makeup – and his versatility plays a central role in that aspect.

“That excites us when you have a guy that has that kind of position flex,” Morris said. “That gives you so many movable parts … being able to add that guy to that mix and those things. Getting a bigger man – strength, power.”

Orhorhoro said he hasn’t spoken much with the Falcons about positions but feels he can contribute in a variety of spots.

“I’m a guy that plays all over the board,” Orhorhoro said. “So, wherever they need me, that’s where I’m going to play out.”

Orhororo’s football journey is made particularly impressive by his relative inexperience; he first started playing football during spring practice his sophomore year of high school, meaning his first live snap came as a junior.

A native of Lagos, Nigeria, Orhorhoro’s family moved to England when he was two before immigrating to the United States – Detroit – when he was eight.

Initially a basketball player at River Rouge High School, it took only 15 months for Ohrorhoro to go from not playing football to becoming Clemson’s first commitment from the state of Michigan since 1975.

As a result of his path, Orhorhoro already has topics of conversation with Jarrett, a Clemson alum who visited and spoke with the team after a scrimmage a few years ago, and Onyemata, who also hails from Lagos.

Orhorhoro believes the Falcons have a strong nucleus of veterans who can take him under their wing, headlined by Jarrett, and he’s eager to absorb the knowledge.

And while Morris is fond of Orhororo’s traits, he acknowledged there’s plenty of refining to be done.

“Really, I'm excited to get him with his coach to teach him how to play with his hands a little better and do some of those different things we want to get better,” Morris said. “I'm excited about coaching the guys to be able to coach him and do some of those things. Really fired up.”

Orhorhoro, by all accounts, agrees.

“Just using my hands,” Orhorhoro said about where he can still improve. “Hand-usage, get better at shedding blocks and things of that nature, and also my footwork. You can always hone in on the little things like that.”

Orhorhoro describes himself as fast, physical and aggressive; he said he’s a dark-alley guy who does the dirty work and gives consistent effort.

He’s not the traditional edge rusher conventional wisdom suggested the Falcons would target early in the draft, but his traits give him a chance to serve that role when called upon.

And as Atlanta aims to revamp its defense, placing a priority on position-flexible players like Orhorhoro is valuable – and sends a strong message to the draft hopeful hanging with bated breath on the other side of the line.

“It means they really wanted me and really saw something in me,” Orhorhoro said of the Falcons trading up. “I can’t let them down, and I’ll do everything in my willpower to not let them down.”