![Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro (99) warms up before an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Patriots 35-6. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times‑Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_1513,y_61,w_2866,h_1612/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ReutersImages/mmsport/55/01m7apy4za0aqw5xjte6.jpg "Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro (99) warms up before an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Patriots 35-6. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times‑Union]")
The Jacksonville Jaguars traded for Jordan Davis and Davon Godchaux at the deadline. Both of them will have an immediate impact on the interior defensive line. However, maybe the Jags wouldn't have needed to add reinforcements at defensive tackle if their current group had produced. Ruke Orhorhoro, in particular, has left much to be desired, and the decision to bolster the interior defensive line may be a sign that the team's brass may not be thrilled with his performance thus far.
Back in the offseason, defensive tackle was arguably Jacksonville's biggest need. But instead of making a splash to address the issue, the team's brass sent Maason Smith to the Atlanta Falcons in return for Orhorhoro.
Smith was a 2024 second-round pick who failed to live up to his draft billing during his stint in Duval. The same was true for Orhorhoro, who showed flashes with the Dirty Birds but had been underwhelming the past two seasons. The expectation was that he was going to unleash his full potential in Jacksonville, but that hasn't happened.
What has Ruke Orhorhoro done with the Jaguars?
During his tenure with the Falcons, Ruke Orhorhoro flashed pass-rush potential despite the fact that he dealt with injuries and was playing out of position. Thus far, though, he's been unremarkable with the Jaguars, registering 13 total pressures and one sack on 137 pass-rush snaps.
You would think that after losing defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton for the season, the Jags would give Orhorhoro more playing time, but that won't be the case, with Jordan Davis and Davon Godchaux in the mix.
Granted, Hamilton is a nose tackle that excels against the run, but if Orhorhoro had shown more, Jacksonville may not have been so aggressive at the deadline.
On a related note, Maason Smith is having a breakout season in Atlanta, which makes Orhoroho's struggles even more frustrating.
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What's next for Ruke Orhorhoro and the Jaguars?
Jordan Davis will start next to Arik Armstead, while Davon Godchaux will likely have a big role in the defensive tackle rotation. With rookie Albert Regis also in the mix, Ruke Orhorhoro will probably get fewer snaps on defense. It's possible that this could serve as a wake-up call.
Working in Orhorhoro's favor is that his deal runs through 2027. He'll have time to show he deserves to be part of the team's plans beyond this season. Regardless of the amount of playing time the former Clemson Tiger gets, he'll need to get the most of it to be in the defensive tackle mix next offseason.
Whereas Davis has three years left on his deal after 2026, Godchaux's contract expires after this season. If Orhohoro thrives, the Jags won't have to make a splash to find Godchaux's replacement.
The bottom line is that Ruke Orhorhoro will be affected short-term by the arrival of Jordan Davis and Davon Godchaux, but if he manages to produce, he could still be a valuable contributor for the Jaguars in the long term.
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