Longtime ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. is high on this former Clemson defensive lineman ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, which is less than a week away.

In a recent appearance on ACC Network’s ACC PM show, Kiper raved about Ruke Orhorhoro and explained why he sees the 6-foot-4, 294-pounder as one of the top defensive tackles in this year’s draft class.

Orhorhoro caught everybody’s eye with his impressive showing at the NFL Scouting Combine this spring.

“He really did,” Kiper said. “He ran great for a big guy. He’s athletic. He wants to be great, and he’s just touched the surface of what he can be.”

Kiper sees a bright NFL future for Orhorhoro, who registered 12 career sacks and earned All-ACC honors in his final season at Clemson in 2023.

“I think when you look at Ruke Orhorhoro, the best is yet to come,” Kiper said. “That’s what defensive line coaches want, somebody that they know they can coach up, if he has the work ethic and the passion for the game, and that great skill set.”

Along with a dozen career sacks, Orhorhoro was credited with 97 tackles (25.5 for loss), nine pass breakups and two fumble recoveries over 53 games (30 starts) from 2019-23.

Orhorhoro was a third-team All-ACC selection last season, when he tallied 22 tackles (8.0 for loss), a career-high 5.0 sacks and a pass breakup across 12 games (all starts).

Kiper’s recent two-round mock draft projected Orhorhoro to be selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the second round (52nd overall pick).

In his NFL Draft position rankings, Kiper lists Orhorhoro as the No. 3 defensive tackle behind Texas’ Byron Murphy II at No. 1 and Illinois’ Johnny Newton at No. 2.

But, Kiper says he wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Orhorhoro is the second defensive tackle taken in the draft next week (April 25-27 in Detroit).

“He could be, behind Byron Murphy II from Texas, the second defensive tackle coming off the board,” Kiper said. “So, I have him right in there with the other defensive tackles like Braden Fiske from Florida State… Kris Jenkins from Michigan is in there, Johnny Newton from Illinois. There’s a lot of defensive tackles bunched together.

“But it would not shock me at all if Ruke Orhorhoro was the second defensive tackle taken off the board, and maybe a little higher than I even projected him, maybe even into that early second-round area. So, Ruke Orhorhoro, you talk about player on the rise, he certainly would qualify.”

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