How Brandon Dorlus Fits with the Atlanta Falcons

@Tre'Shon Diaz

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How Brandon Dorlus Fits with the Atlanta Falcons image

Fort Lauderdale's Brandon Dorlus was arguably the most celebrated pick of Atlanta's 2024 draft class. Fans and analysts alike applauded the front office for getting who many believed to be a steal at pick 109 – and I'm inclined to agree. 

While many fans wanted to hear a pass rusher come off the board sooner, Atlanta may have still gotten one of the more talented ones in the draft.

Versatility was the theme of the Falcons' 2024 Day 2 and Day 3 draft, and no player exemplifies that more than the 6'3" 283lb DT.

Where Will He Play

From 2021-2023, PFF charted the alignment of all 1,903 of Dorlus' snaps, and what stands out is the almost perfect distribution between the 3 - 5 tech alignments. Dorlus played 36% of those snaps in the B gap as a 3-tech, 26% of his snaps over the tackle as a 4i, and 35% came outside of the tackle primarily as a 5-tech.

This distribution supports my take that Dorlus is a versatile player but not a true interior defensive lineman. That's not a knock on the player; only 2% of his snaps have taken place in the A gap, and Atlanta also invested in other resources like fellow rookies Ruke Orhorhoro and Zion Logue and free agent signing LaCale London to handle those duties.

What Is He Good At

At Oregon, Dorlus was a bonafide all-around player who didn't have many weaknesses, but he truly shined in the pass rush.

Winning on the outside shoulder of the offensive lineman is the first thing that comes to mind when discussing Dorlus' game. The 4i puts Dorlus on the inside shoulder of the tackle. Upon reviewing the film, Dorlus is doing most of his damage by attacking the outside shoulder of the OG from this alignment. 

Dorlus showed this same ability from the 5-tech alignment, attacking the outside shoulder of the OT. In 2023, Dorlus finished the season with a pass rush win rate of 10.5%, putting him in the upper quartile among all defensive linemen to take 300+ snaps per PFF. 

Where Does He Need to Improve

Where Dorlus has the most room for growth is the run game. He is starting off with a good foundation but needs to solidify his game more if he wants to crack the rotation consistently. 

While Dorlus does display natural balance and a feel for space, he can sometimes become a little too overconfident in his abilities and abandon his technique and responsibilities.

Dorlus tends to get too high as he starts to work through blocks and will, at times, be out of position. However, having a natural feel for the game is good, so you want to avoid overcorrecting and taking away a plus attribute. The defensive staff's task will be to help Dorlus better utilize his natural gifts while reigning in those bad habits.

Why He Fits

It should be evident at this point, but Dorlus fills a legitimate need for this defense. He can play the 3 - 5 tech alignments, has the skill set to play in multiple fronts, such as the much-anticipated mint and tite fronts, and has proven pass rush production. 

Dorlus has the relative athleticism that Terry Fontenot has sought after in the past. There's even a coaching connection. In Morris Interim-HC year, Oregon DC Tosh Lupoi was Atlanta's defensive line coach and run game coordinator. 

As reported by Daniel Flick, Morris reached out and liked what Lupoi had to say, solidifying the new staff's confidence in the player.

Dorlus even led all PAC-12 DL with 9 passes defended, which was also 7th best among all defenders in the conference, so he might even be a fit at defensive back.

@Tre'Shon Diaz