The Atlanta Falcons' defense has been completely rejuvenated in large part due to a much-improved pass-rush. Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. are taking the NFL by storm and Brandon Dorlus is amid a breakout sophomore season, but he wasn't even the first defender Atlanta drafted in 2024.
Second-round defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro was drafted two rounds before Dorlus, but has been significantly worse this season. His 2.5 sacks are reason for optimism, but the 24-year-old has struggled in run defense while being out-performed by Dorlus, David Onyemata, and Zach Harrison.
The ex-Clemson standout was highly-regarded in league circles, but has struggled to recoup value of being the 35th overall pick in the NFL Draft. And making matters even worse is the fact that the Commanders, Titans, and Rams all landed superior defensive tackles within the next five selections.
Ruke Orhorhoro is looking like the latest addition in a long list of Falcons' draft busts
According to Pro Football Focus, his 40.4 PFF grade ranks 119th at defensive tackle, while his 34.7 run defense grade ranks 123rd. For a player who was supposedly an elite run stuffer coming out of college, that area of his game has yet to translate against the stronger offensive linemen in the pros.
However, he's looked promising as a pass-rusher, and the fact he's played for two different defensive coordinators hasn't helped his case. But given the fact Jeff Ulbrich has tapped into the athleticism of everyone else across the defense, the fact Orhorhoro is still a work in progress is incredibly alarming.
Something worth noting is that the young defender only started playing football in high school, so he's not nearly as polished as other defensive tackles in this league. And his status as a late bloomer means that both his technique and his pass-rush arsenal are still in need of significant refinement.
At 6-foot-4 and 294 pounds, Orhorhoro has the size, speed, and athleticism to be an impact player in this league, but it has yet to happen. He's only started five of the 20 games he's appeared in in his career, and it doesn't help that he's done little to stand out amid Atlanta's logjam at defensive tackle.
The unfortunate part of his struggles is the fact that he's not the first and certainly not the last draft bust Terry Fontenot will draft. But if he doesn't get things right soon, both Orhorhoro and third-round pass rusher Bralen Trice are hampering a draft class that had loads of potential.