Falcons DT Duo Enters Year 2 Aiming for Bigger Impact in the Trenches

After picking two defensive tackles in the first four rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft, it became clear the Atlanta Falcons were focused on injecting youth and depth into their defensive front.

Grady Jarrett, Atlanta’s former defensive line anchor and the team’s longest-tenured defender, is no longer in the picture. Neither is Eddie Goldman, who started 10 games last season. With the departure of two veterans, second-year players Brandon Dorlus and Ruke Orhorhoro seem poised to take on larger roles in 2025.

Neither player made a tremendous impact as a rookie, but Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris has been encouraged by their approach and development throughout workouts this summer.

“I think it's really going to happen in training camp for those guys. I think they have absolutely attacked this part of it, and that is establishing body armor, establishing that they can run all day, establishing ownership of this part of the defense that we've put in thus far,” said Morris. “Really the next part for them is getting to the physicality part of our game, which will happen in about eight weeks from now, somewhere around there.” 

After earning All-ACC honors during his final season at Clemson, the Falcons used a second-round pick (35th overall) to draft Orhorhoro.

The Clemson product saw limited action early in his rookie season but took on a larger role in October before landing on the injured reserve with an ankle injury. The setback wasn’t ideal, but Orhorhoro returned in time to gain valuable experience over the final four games of the season.

Now entering his second year, he acknowledged that the obstacles have only made him stronger.

“If life went everybody’s way, then there would be no toughness in the word,” Orhorhoro said in reference to last season. “I had to regroup and have my own plan.”

With Falcons new defensive coordinator Jeff Uhlbrich planning to incorporate a new defensive approach this season, Orhorhoro explained that there will be less “reading and reacting” and more attacking from the Falcons' defensive front.

“We were more 3-4 base last year, now we have been emphasizing a more attack-style front,” said Orhorhoro. “Instead of being a step slower and reading the blocks, you are attacking and figuring it out on the run.”

Although Dorlus didn’t see as much playing time as Orhorhoro during his rookie season, he showed enough potential in college to still carry high expectations as he heads into his second NFL season. Throughout his time at Oregon, Dorlus made three All-Pac-12 teams while totaling 106 tackles and 12 sacks. 

As he approaches this season with a couple games of NFL experience under his belt, Dorlus says that his rookie season helped him realize which parts of his game could use improvement.

“I feel much more comfortable than I did last year,” Dorlus told reporters at minicamp. “You need to challenge yourself to see where you’re at. Last year showed me what I had to work on,” said Dorlus.

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