![Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro (99)[Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_128,w_2604,h_1464/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ReutersImages/mmsport/55/01kx2jmjzn59wj60h1b2.jpg "Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro (99)[Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]")
The Jacksonville Jaguars didn't have a very active offseason, and one of the few moves of note they made was a swap of disappointing defensive tackles. James Gladstone and the Jaguars sent disappointing Trent Baalke second-round pick Maason Smith away to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for another struggling 2024 mid-rounder in Ruke Orhorhoro.
ESPN's Ben Solak, who listed Orhorhoro as the top breakout candidate ahead of the 2026 season, believes that a simple change of scenery is all that the former Clemson star needs to hit his stride. To hear Solak tell it, Atlanta was such a bad situation that it was impossible for him to succeed. Playing in two different defensive schemes alongside David Onyemata and others who weren't ideal fits hurt his development.
Orhorhoro is a gamble, but the front office seems more willing to take a chance on someone with more of a defined role than someone like Smith, who was always working uphill with a coaching staff that never seemed to be sold on him.
Jaguars DT Ruke Orhorhoro named breakout candidate by ESPN
To say that Orhorhoro is a work in progress is an understatement, as he ranked 132nd out of 134 qualified defensive linemen in the eyes of Pro Football Focus. However, he did manage to tally 30 pressures in his fairly expansive playing time, which could make him look more like a pass rusher worth developing than a lost cause on the interior.
Orhorhoro will likely start the year as a backup alongside 2026 third-round pick Albert Regis. With DaVon Hamilton starting to take steps forward and Arik Armstead continuing to show he can be a versatile and productive lineman, Orhorhoro can sink back into a more defined backup role that will let him take advantage of his physical gifts.
If Orhorhoro's pass rush upside shines through, the defensive line could once again be one of the strengths of this team. With Josh Hines-Allen looking to pad his franchise sack record and Travon Walker extended for the long haul, Jacksonville is in a very advantageous position as far as building a long-term defense is concerned.
Orhorhoro was acquired for a player this franchise had all but given up on in Smith, and there's plenty of data that would suggest that he is just one fresh coat of helmet paint away from becoming the game-wrecker the Falcons thought he was going to be at Clemson.
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