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Domonique Orange NFL Draft Scouting Report
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- Domonique Orange NFL Draft Scouting Report
Iowa State 's Domonique Orange is one of the top interior defensive line prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft , with a massive and powerful frame that allows him to dominate against the ground game. His stout run defense alone should be enough to warrant a Day 2 pick, even if he's still learning how to have a significant impact as an inside pass rusher.
Here's everything NFL fans need to know about Orange heading into this year's draft:
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Domonique Orange's Vitals
Height:6-4
Weight:325
Age:21
Domonique Orange's Strengths
They call him "Big Citrus," and it makes a ton of sense. Orange has an orbit all his own, with a massive frame that demands double-team blocks in the run game, and sometimes that's not even enough to keep him out of the backfield. He fires off the ball with ideal pad level, using active and violent hands to keep blockers away from his body, leaving him free to blow up run plays and get upfield to impact the quarterback. Orange knows how to keep his lower body churning to hold his ground, and he uses his solid frame to disrupt combo-block attempts, preventing interior blockers from getting a clean climb to the second level and freeing up his linebackers to make tackles. Even when blockers are still engaged with him, Orange has the upper body strength to still bring down the ball carrier by reaching away from the block.
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Domonique Orange's Weaknesses
Orange offers minimal pass-rushing juice, and his production reflects that, with just one career sack over four seasons. He does an effective job keeping his pads low to increase leverage, but his base can be inconsistent, as he fails to keep his feed wide too often. This leads to coming into the block top-heavy, and gives opponents an advantage to get him tipped over or driven out of the play. When he creates a clear path into the backfield against the run, Orange has a tendency to overrun the ball carrier instead of breaking down and wrapping up, missing opportunities to create tackles for loss.
Final Analysis
A classic two-down run-stuffer in the middle, Orange offers a clear path to success at the next level. He's unlikely to bring much passing-down value at the next level unless he develops a wider skill set as a rusher, but his ability to clog up the middle and shut down the ground game is worth a Day 2 pick on its own. He could be an early-down starter as a rookie.
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2026 NFL Draft Projection: 2nd Round
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
