A testament to the depth of the edge rushers in the 2015 NFL Draft is how Utah’s Nate Orchard is most likely a second round pick. Or is it that Orchard’s average athleticism makes his productive final year at Utah more of an aberration than an indicator of his future? It’s tough to say, but he provides evidence of both sides.

Orchard doesn’t have the pure explosiveness of some of the top edge rushers available, but he’s a solid all-around prospect, one who could grow into a productive NFL player.

Check out all of Steelers Wire’s prospect breakdowns here

Bio

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 250 pounds

pSPARQ: 108.8; z-score: -0.8; percentile: 29.9

Combine

40-yard dash: 4.8

10-yard split: 1.65

Vertical: 31.5 inches

Broad jump: 9-feet, 5 inches

Arm length: 33.75

Bench press: 23

Film



This is a great move by Orchard. He comes off the ball, but then hesitates in order to mess up the timing of the offensive lineman. This is like a boxer changing the distance against his opponent. The tackle is expecting Orchard to fire off the ball, but when he hesitates, it puts the tackle on his heels. Orchard is then able to grab him, pull him off balance, and go right around him to the QB. Great pass rush move.

It fun watching defenders against Stanford because they have to defend against a team that is going to try to knock them off the ball. This is a simple inside zone run where the tackle wants to gain inside position on Orchard and drive him out. Orchard is able to stone the blocker and give himself a two way go. If the ball carrier goes outside Orchard can make the play. If the ball carrier goes inside, Orchard can make a play there also. This is how you play defense. Fight pressure, maintain leverage, and make the tackle.

This is another great pass rush. Orchard sees that Andrus Peat sets high, so Orchard lowers his pad level and goes through him. This is the pass rush that James Harrison used to feed his kids, and it is impressive that Orchard does it a 6-foot-3.

Scouting Reports

NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks notes the high gear he hits a few steps into the play: “From a playing standpoint, Orchard is a high-motor player with a relentless approach off the edge. He outworks blockers at the point of attack and deftly uses a variety of hand-to-hand combat maneuvers to get around the corner.”

NFL Network analyst Lance Zierlein mentions his scheme versatility: “Smooth hips to backpedal into space or turn and run laterally. Stronger at the point of attack than given credit for and offers scheme versatility. ”

National Football Post points to an unbalanced combination of size and athleticism to go with his quickness: “He’s a bit undersized, listed at about 6’3″, 250 lbs., and has a lean body type. Although this helps him perform precise moves and get by less athletic offensive linemen, it could be a problem at the next level where the linemen he encounters will have both size and athleticism.”

Relevant News

Mayock’s prediction seems in line with most scouting reports. There are flaws, and he will have to grow a bit without losing speed. He’s a worker, and that’s compelling, but he’s going to need to be precise with his strength-to-speed conversion in order to maximize his ability.

Yes, he gave Peat, generally considered a first-round prospect, lots of fits. Watch that clip again, it’s fantastic.

Summary and Predictions

We don’t want to fall in love with the hard working kid with the tragic background, but it’s hard not to consider Orchard a positive addition to the team in the second round. He has decent, not outstanding tools, but even picks in the first round have flaws.

He’s got some work to do, and we aren’t entirely sure he’ll pan out, but if he ends up a productive three-down edge rusher by 2017, we won’t be surprised.

Check out all of Steelers Wire’s prospect breakdowns here