Like most rookies in the NFL, Ruke Orhorhoro has experienced ups and downs during his first season in the league. But the former Clemson defensive tackle has shown promise and flashed his potential when he’s been on the field with the Atlanta Falcons.
Orhorhoro didn’t make his Falcons debut until Week 5 vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 3, after being a healthy scratch for Atlanta’s first four games of the 2024 campaign.
Once Orhorhoro finally got the chance to play, the 6-foot-4, 294-pounder quickly made his presence felt while posting three tackles in the Falcons’ overtime victory against the Bucs.
Orhorhoro then continued to chip in on Atlanta’s defensive line across the team’s next three games, contributing a couple of tackles and a quarterback hit over that span. Unfortunately, he suffered an ankle injury during the Falcons’ Week 8 win over the Buccaneers on Oct. 27, and was subsequently placed on injured reserve.
However, after missing five games, Orhorhoro is healthy again and back on the field. He returned in Atlanta’s Week 15 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 16 and recorded his first career tackle for loss in the contest.
Falcons defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake liked how Orhorhoro was developing before his injury, and Lake is happy to have the 2024 second-round draft pick back in action.
“It was great to get him back,” Lake said of Orhorhoro during a recent press conference. “He was obviously developing. He played well in that first game that he first entered in. It was the Tampa game, and then he was injured. He was injured for a while, and so it was nice to get him back off of injury.
“You could see the reason why we drafted him. He’s electric. He can move. He’s smart. And he plays with a ferocity that he takes it to another level.”
During his Clemson career from 2019-23, Orhorhoro racked up 97 tackles (25.5 for loss), 12.0 sacks, nine pass breakups and two fumble recoveries over 53 games (30 starts).
After logging 8.0 tackles for loss and a career-high 5.0 sacks during his redshirt senior season in 2023 en route to third-team All-ACC honors, Orhorhoro became the first defensive player selected by the Falcons in the 2024 draft when they took him with the 35th overall pick.
Lake loves Orhorhoro’s positive energy of the field – and how he’s able to transform into a different person when he steps foot on the field.
“He walks around the building, he’s got a nice smile on his face, and easy guy to coach. He knows what to do,” Lake said. “And then all of a sudden, he flipped that switch when the lights turn on on game day.”
–Photo courtesy Bob Donnan-Imagn Images