After opting not to bolster the interior defensive line in free agency, the expectation was that the Jacksonville Jaguars were going to add reinforcements in the 2026 NFL Draft. After all, defensive tackle was seemingly their biggest need at the time. The Jags ended up picking Albert Regis in the third round but also traded for Ruke Orhorhoro just a few days before the whole ordeal. While their approach raised eyebrows, it could pay massive dividends.
Orhorhoro was a second-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2024. Although he failed to live up to expectations with the Dirty Birds, Jacksonville believes he has lots of untapped pass-rush potential. It's been on full display in training camp.
Ruke Orhorhoro is showcasing his pass-rush potential at Jaguars training camp
Liam Coen talked to reporters after Day 5 of training camp. He heaped praise on Ruke Orhorhoro, noting that the third-year defensive tackle did a better job of bringing the heat than in previous practices.
"Yeah, I thought Ruk did a nice job today. I thought he flashed, you know, more today than maybe in some of the previous days. I think he might have had two sacks in the Mamba period on the first two plays of his rack," Coen told the local media (3:40 mark). " So nice to see him flash. It's always a little bit more realistic when you get the pads on. I mean, the whole thing is like pass pro sucks with no pads on. It just does.
"So it's nice to see him win when you're expecting the pass rush to maybe be a little less than it's been because of the pads being on. So that was nice to see him flash, and I'm not."
Injuries held Orhorhoro back during his rookie season but flashed potential despite the fact that he was playing out of position in 2025, registering 3.5 sacks in 17 games. On top of that, his pass-rush rate of 15.5 was the best among defensive tackles early in the season.
With the benefit of a fresh start and a better chance at winning football games, Orhorhoro could flourish next season.
The Jaguars might have committed larceny with Ruke Orhorhoro
The trade for Ruke Orhorhoro made sense for several reasons. For starters, the Jaguars didn't have to give any draft compensation in exchange for the former Clemson Tiger, sending the underperforming Maason Smith to Atlanta instead. On top of that, this year's crop of defensive tackles wasn't particularly great, so rather than addressing the position in the draft, Jacksonville chose to bet on an underachiever with upside.
Of course, Orhorhoro still has a long way to go, but he's most definitely making strides. He will tentatively start the season behind Arik Armstead and Davon Hamilton, but nobody would bat an eye if he moves ahead of either on the depth chart.
If Ruke Orhorhoro does make an impact next season, the interior defensive line won't be the weakness that was perceived to be early in 2026. Moreover, general manager James Gladstone will look like a genius for addressing a need in a way not many analysts expected.
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