CLEMSON, S.C. — Former Clemson defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro was taken in the second round with the 35th overall selection by the Atlanta Falcons Friday night as the NFL Draft continued in Detroit.
The Falcons traded up with the Cardinals to secure that pick which allowed them to select the 6-4, 294-pound Orhorhoro.
A third-team All-ACC selection last season as a redshirt senior, Orhorhoro is credited with 22 tackles (8.0 for loss), a career-high 5.0 sacks and a pass breakup in 412 snaps in 12 games, all of which he started.
“The thing that everybody likes about Ruke is that he’s not quite a blank canvas but he still very much has his best football in front of him,” said Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney.
“He’s a guy that didn’t start playing football until his junior year of high school. Watching him develop at Clemson every single year, to me, Ruke is a great example to a lot of kids in today’s world that if you’ll just stay and put the work in, if you’ve got the talent then you will develop.”
He is the second Clemson player taken in this year's draft following cornerback Nate Wiggins who was taken with the 30th overall selection in the first round by Baltimore.
Clemson came into this year’s draft as one of only seven schools to have produced multiple draft picks in each of the last 21 NFL Drafts (Florida, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ohio State and Southern Cal).
