2015 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Nate Orchard

Strengths:

Dangerous pass-rusher

Speed to turn the corner

Strong for his size

Can bull rush offensive tackles

Repertoire of moves

Quick first-step

Instincts

Can get off blocks

Consistently makes splash plays

Can to sink his hips/shoulder

Good motor

Closing speed

Pursuit skills

Quality run-defender

Intelligent

Hard worker

Good character

Intangibles

Scheme flexibility

Experienced and successful against quality college programs

Weaknesses:

Could use more weight to be a 4-3 base end

Lacks height

Lacks elite speed, explosion off the edge

Not overly strong

Needs to continue to improve hand usage

Should work on using hands and feet at the same time

Will need to improve coverage skills if he’s a 3-4 outside linebacker

Summary: After a modest junior season with 50 tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss and three sacks, Orchard broke out in 2014. His massive jump in production wasn’t expected. 2014 saw Orchard finish second in the nation in sacks behind Washington’s Hau’Oli Kikaha with 17.5. Orchard also had 84 tackles, 21 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles and two passes batted.

There is no doubt that Orchard is a good edge defender. He displays natural pass-rush ability and is fast enough to burn tackles with speed rushes yet has the functional strength to bull rush his way into the pocket. Orchard also has a good spin move along with the agility to work his way around blockers. With his pass-rushing potential, Orchard has the skill set to become a double-digit sack producer in the NFL.

Orchard is a scrapper in the ground game as well. He fights at the point of attack and even though he is a little undersized as a defensive end, he generally did a respectable job of holding his ground. Orchard can get off blocks and make tackles in pursuit. For the next level, it would help him to gain some more weight and strength if he remains a 4-3 defensive end. Orchard could use 10-15 pounds if he remains in a 4-3 defense.

Orchard could fit in a 4-3 defense as an end or a 3-4 defense as an outside linebacker. His preference is to play 4-3 end, but is more than willing to make the move to outside linebacker. At the beginning of his NFL career, Orchard could be best utilized as part of a rotation in either scheme. That would help him as he either gains some weight for a 4-3, or develops his pass-coverage skills for a 3-4.

Orchard has good character off the field and is a serious, driven young man. He could get late first-round consideration in the 2015 NFL Draft, but he’s probably more likely to be a second-round pick.



Player Comparison: Connor Barwin. Barwin and Orchard are similar style players. Barwin (6-4, 260) is similar in size to Orchard. Both have edge-rush ability but don’t have special speed or explosion off the snap. Barwin was a second-round pick of the Texans in the 2009 NFL Draft. He had 11.5 sacks in 2011 for Houston and 14.5 sacks for Philadelphia in 2014. Barwin has had some production in other seasons as well. With Orchard’s natural pass-rushing skills and driven demeanor, he could end up being a player comparable to Barwin.

NFL Matches: Arizona, Dallas, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Oakland, Jacksonville, Chicago, New York Giants, Atlanta, New Orleans, Cleveland, San Francisco, San Diego, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh

Orchard could go late in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft and has a few possible landing spots. The Cardinals could use a young edge rusher to replace John Abraham, plus Orchard is a type of player who fits with some recent draft picks of the Cardinals.

Dallas needs to give Rod Marinelli more to work with, and Orchard’s pass rush will appeal to Marinelli. He also doesn’t mind defensive linemen who are shorter. The Colts could consider Orchard with their first-round pick. They need to improve their pass rush, and Orchard could contribute quickly for Indianapolis.

At pick No. 33 to lead off Friday night, it wouldn’t be surprising if Orchard lands with the Titans. They coached him at the Senior Bowl, where he bonded with the staff. Tennessee also needs more edge rushers for its defense, so this could be a perfect fit.

Also early on Friday night, Orchard could land with the Raiders or Jaguars. Both teams need young edge rushers, and he could fit well with either team. Chicago also could consider edge rushers early in the 2015 NFL Draft, and Orchard could be a good fit for John Fox.

The Giants may need an end if Jason Pierre-Paul doesn’t return to New York. Atlanta must improve its pass rush off the edge, so Orchard could fit the Falcons depending on how they use their first-round pick and free agency dollars.

The Saints could use an edge rusher to go opposite Junior Galette, while the Browns need one on the other side from Paul Kruger. Also in the AFC North, the Steelers need a 3-4 rush linebacker, but also want to mix in more 4-3. Orchard could be a great fit for that dual role. Cincinnati missed Michael Johnson last season and could use an edge rusher to pair with Carlos Dunlap.

In California, Orchard could land with the 49ers or Chargers as both teams failed to produce defenders with significant sack totals.

2015 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2015 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Home Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska Nelson Agholor, WR, USC Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon Vic Beasley, DE/OLB, Clemson Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State Malcom Brown, DT, Texas Shilique Calhoun, DE, Michigan State T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn Jalen Collins, CB, LSU La'el Collins, OT, LSU Landon Collins, S, Alabama Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama Ronald Darby, CB, Florida State Mike Davis, RB, South Carolina Quandre Diggs, CB, Texas Stefon Diggs, WR, Maryland Phillip Dorsett, WR, Miami Kurtis Drummond, S, Michigan State Alvin Dupree, DE, Kentucky Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon Cameron Erving, Florida State Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami Dante Fowler, DE, Florida Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State Rashad Greene, WR, Florida State Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia Eli Harold, OLB, Virginia D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA Tre' Jackson, G, Florida State A.J. Johnson, ILB, Tennessee Duke Johnson, RB, Miami Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA Hau'Oli Kikaha, OLB, Washington Arie Kouandjio, G, Alabama Sean Mannion, QB, Oregon State Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi State Steven Nelson, CB, Oregon State Owa Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M Nick O'Leary, TE, Florida State Nate Orchard, DE, Utah DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida Denzel Perryman, ILB, Miami Marcus Peters, CB, Washington Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma Shane Ray, OLB, Missouri Corey Robinson, OT, South Carolina Eric Rowe, CB, Utah Ty Sambrailo, OT, Colorado State Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa Danny Shelton, DT, Washington Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State Noah Spence, DE, Ohio State Eric Striker, OLB, Oklahoma Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington Laken Tomlinson, G, Duke Clive Walford, TE, Miami Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State Kevin White, WR, West Virginia Leonard Williams, DT, USC Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama

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