- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,198,062
- Reaction score
- 59
An under-the-radar move by the Jacksonville Jaguars could have a big payoff.
In April, the Jaguars traded defensive tackle Maason Smith to the Atlanta Falcons for fellow DT Ruke Orhorhoro. The trade involved two second-round picks from 2024 who are hoping a change of scenery can jumpstart their respective careers.
In his two seasons in Atlanta, Orhorhoro totaled 36 tackles, seven quarterback hits, five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and one pass breakup in 25 games (eight starts).
Orhorhoro, who is 24 years old, played his college ball at Clemson, where he was teammates with Trevor Lawrence during the quarterback's final two seasons (2019-2020).
Coming out of Clemson, Orhorhoro was known as an athletic DT who had a good combination of speed and power. Originally from Nigeria, he came into the NFL as a raw prospect, with the hope that he would develop his skills to match his impressive traits.
His career thus far has been modest, but one analyst sees similarities between Orhorhoro and one of the league's superstar defensive tackles.
On his Locked On Jaguars podcast, host Tony Wiggins talked about how Orhorhoro reminds him of Kansas City Chiefs' star Chris Jones.
"I like what I saw from Ruke Orhorhoro. I just do," Wiggins admired, around 26 minutes into the episode. "He just totally looks the part, man. He has a Chris Jones body. I don't know if his arms are as long as Chris Jones, but that's what he looks like in person, and he looks very, very athletic."
Though Orhorhoro is nowhere near as accomplished as Jones, being mentioned in the same breath is quite the compliment.
In his decade with the Chiefs, Jones has racked up seven Pro Bowl selections and been named to six All-Pro teams, and is consistently ranked at the top, or very near the top, of NFL defensive tackle rankings.
While it would be completely unfair to expect Orhorhoro to become the same caliber player that Jones is, the comparison should turn a few heads.
The Jaguars have been questioned on whether they have enough of a pass rush outside of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. If Orhorhoro can provide some pass-rushing juice from the interior defensive line, the ceiling of Jacksonville's defense can rise quite a bit.
Expecting Orhorhoro to be the next Chris Jones will probably lead to disappointment, but he doesn't have to be in order to make a big impact for Anthony Campanile's defense.
Orhorhoro was talented enough to be a second-round pick only two years ago. Everyone knew he was raw and would take time and require patience to develop into a quality DT. It is fair to think that he hasn't come anywhere near reaching his full potential yet.
With a terrific defensive coordinator like Campanile now in charge of his development, it is possible that Orhorhoro can make significant strides in his first season in Duval and become another dependable pass rusher, something the Jaguars desperately need.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!
Continue reading...
In April, the Jaguars traded defensive tackle Maason Smith to the Atlanta Falcons for fellow DT Ruke Orhorhoro. The trade involved two second-round picks from 2024 who are hoping a change of scenery can jumpstart their respective careers.
In his two seasons in Atlanta, Orhorhoro totaled 36 tackles, seven quarterback hits, five tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and one pass breakup in 25 games (eight starts).
Orhorhoro, who is 24 years old, played his college ball at Clemson, where he was teammates with Trevor Lawrence during the quarterback's final two seasons (2019-2020).
Coming out of Clemson, Orhorhoro was known as an athletic DT who had a good combination of speed and power. Originally from Nigeria, he came into the NFL as a raw prospect, with the hope that he would develop his skills to match his impressive traits.
His career thus far has been modest, but one analyst sees similarities between Orhorhoro and one of the league's superstar defensive tackles.
On his Locked On Jaguars podcast, host Tony Wiggins talked about how Orhorhoro reminds him of Kansas City Chiefs' star Chris Jones.
"I like what I saw from Ruke Orhorhoro. I just do," Wiggins admired, around 26 minutes into the episode. "He just totally looks the part, man. He has a Chris Jones body. I don't know if his arms are as long as Chris Jones, but that's what he looks like in person, and he looks very, very athletic."
Quite The Compliment
Though Orhorhoro is nowhere near as accomplished as Jones, being mentioned in the same breath is quite the compliment.
In his decade with the Chiefs, Jones has racked up seven Pro Bowl selections and been named to six All-Pro teams, and is consistently ranked at the top, or very near the top, of NFL defensive tackle rankings.
While it would be completely unfair to expect Orhorhoro to become the same caliber player that Jones is, the comparison should turn a few heads.
The Jaguars have been questioned on whether they have enough of a pass rush outside of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. If Orhorhoro can provide some pass-rushing juice from the interior defensive line, the ceiling of Jacksonville's defense can rise quite a bit.
Final Thoughts
Expecting Orhorhoro to be the next Chris Jones will probably lead to disappointment, but he doesn't have to be in order to make a big impact for Anthony Campanile's defense.
Orhorhoro was talented enough to be a second-round pick only two years ago. Everyone knew he was raw and would take time and require patience to develop into a quality DT. It is fair to think that he hasn't come anywhere near reaching his full potential yet.
With a terrific defensive coordinator like Campanile now in charge of his development, it is possible that Orhorhoro can make significant strides in his first season in Duval and become another dependable pass rusher, something the Jaguars desperately need.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!
Continue reading...
