After the conclusion of every season (recently) for the Green Bay Packers, one of the items at the top of the offseason to-do list for Brian Gutekunst has been to get Kenny Clark help.
That bullet point is a little further down on the list this offseason thanks to the recent investment into the defensive line.
During the past two NFL Drafts, Gutekunst has poured four picks into the defensive line, including the selection of Devonte Wyatt with the 28th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Along with Wyatt, the rookie duo of Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden have emerged to give the Packers hope that they may have built a solid foundation around Clark thanks to the recent investment in the position group. It’s also worth adding that TJ Slaton has emerged to give them a space-eater.
With those five players in place, the defensive line is no longer a pressing need. If the Packers add another piece up front, a player they could target on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft is Brandon Dorlus. The Oregon defensive lineman checks in at No. 96 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.
The @seniorbowl is looking live at @oregonfootball vs. @EWUFootball. We put glass-half-full, Day 2 summer grade on @brandon_dorlus based on his disruptive inside pass-rush ability as 3/5-tech. Looks trimmer & new staff playing him more on edge this year. Impressive agility here: pic.twitter.com/zZoOndqZ83
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) September 11, 2022
Dorlus, a three-star recruit out of Florida, Dorlus recorded four tackles for loss and two sacks during his first two seasons in Eugene. In 2021, Dorlus recorded seven tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. The following season Dorlus recorded 9.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. This past season Dorlus recorded 6.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and nine pass deflections.
“It feels like this last season was a great opportunity for Brandon Dorlus to showcase his skill at the top level while not exerting himself to the fullest extent,” Zachary Neel, the managing editor of Duckswire.com, said.
“One thing we saw from Dan Lanning at Georgia was the ability to rotate defensive linemen constantly throughout the game, keeping everyone fresh. The Ducks had that ability this year, allowing guys like Dorlus to play in the range of 35-45 snaps per game, rather than 50-60, like we saw earlier in his career. Despite the limited snaps, Dorlus saw his production stay the same, which was really impressive.”
Dorlus, the 6-3, 290-pound defensive lineman, could be labeled as a tweener and is capable of lining up all over the defensive line. He can line up over the B Gap on one snap and the next snap stand up and rush the passer. A defensive coordinator will be able to get creative with how they deploy Dorlus, due to his length and athleticism.
Dorlus is explosive off the snap with first-step quickness to disrupt the action in the backfield. He has the short-area quickness to make plays up and down the line of scrimmage. He uses his length to shed blocks and he’s strong at the point of attack. He’s a disruptive force against the run, recording 23 tackles for loss over the past three seasons.
“Dorlus is a strong run defender with his ability to plug holes in the line and get hands-on rushers,” Neel said. “While he is better against the pass and getting after the quarterback, I think one thing that really improved once Dan Lanning got to Eugene was having Dorlus work more on the interior at times throughout the game to muddy up rushing lanes.”
With his explosiveness, length, and power, Dorlus can overwhelm interior offensive linemen. He has powerful hands that jolt offensive linemen. He consistently collapses the pocket, and that ability was on full display during Oregon’s first matchup against Washington this past season. A game in which Dorlus recorded seven pressures and caused Michael Penix Jr to misfire on multiple occasions. Along with his 7.5 sacks over the past two seasons, Dorlus added 92 pressures. Even when he doesn’t get home he has the length to knock down passes at the line of scrimmage.
“Dorlus thrives in the pass-rush,” Neel said. “His pass-rushing moves have greatly improved over the last couple of years, and his ability to remain versatile and move across the line, from the interior to defensive end, to out on the edge, has kept it difficult for offensive linemen to account for him.”
Fit with the Packers
Given the current state of Green Bay’s defensive line, drafting Dorlus would seem to be a luxury pick.
Even with the emergence of Wyatt, Wooden and Brooks, the Packers could always use a player that has the athletic and versatile skill set that Dorlus possesses.
He’d help shore up the run defense, while also providing them with another player capable of putting consistent pressure on the quarterback.
“I would personally draft Dorlus because I think he is a really strong defender who has proven it at a high level,” Neel said. “More than just his abilities on the field, though, Dorlus has shown throughout his time in Eugene that he can be an elite teammate, and his decision to come back to the Ducks for his final year of eligibility said a lot, wanting to run it back one more time with Oregon before going to the NFL.”
