Steelers mock draft round 3: Ruke Orhorhoro, DL, Clemson
This is the extra pick acquired from the previous trade back, and the Steelers put it to use trying to get a developmental defensive lineman. In my opinion, the defensive line may be one of the weakest positions on this team right now as a whole. Keeanu Benton played well as a rookie, but Cameron Heyward is getting older. Beyond that, there isn’t a great name to highlight.
Ruke Orhorhoro isn’t a perfect prospect, but there are a lot of things that could connect him to the Steelers. For starters, Pittsburgh has likely been able to see a lot of him already, as they are regulars at the Clemson pro day every year. I’m sure they will be there again this offseason. While the measurables aren’t perfect, Orhorhoro almost has the size this team wants in their base ends.
Where he shined in school was as a run defender. Orhorhoro uses his strength to bully opposing linemen, and he is great at shedding blocks and filling gaps. As a pass rusher, Orhorhoro can occasionally get to the quarterback with his power moves, but he lacks a set plan of moves beyond his power rushes.
Orhorhoro is newer to football though, so there is a good chance that he can continue to grow as a pass rusher over time. He would also be given some time to work his way into a role if he were drafted, as the team can use him in a rotation and on run-downs early on. There aren’t a lot of great fits for the Steelers at end, but Orhorhoro could develop into a decent starter if developed properly.