High School and College Career

Brandon Dorlus, was a 3-star recruit from Deerfield Beach High School prior to joining the University of Oregon as a freshman in 2019.

Throughout his college football career, Dorlus primarily served as a defensive lineman for the Ducks. In his first year, he played in 10 games and played for a total of 81 snaps, making 3 tackles and 4 stops. As a pass rusher, he produced 4 total pressures, including 3 QB hurries, no QB hits, and one sack on the season.
During his sophomore year, Dorlus played in 7 games and took part in 259 snaps. He recorded 7 tackles and 22 total pressures as a pass rusher. Specifically, he had 16 QB hurries, 5 QB hits, and one sack all throughout the year.

As a junior in 2021, Dorlus played in 14 games and clocked up an impressive 665 snaps. He made 16 tackles, but his performance as a pass rusher was where he truly shined. Dorlus produced 42 total pressures of which 33 were QB hurries, 6 QB hits, and 3 sacks. His prowess as a pass rusher was duly acknowledged with the consistent pressure he applied on the opposition’s passing attack and the impressive tally in his stat sheet.

Finally, as a senior in 2022, Dorlus logged playing time in 12 games, adding 24 tackles, 41 total pressures – 35 of which were QB hurries, 4 QB hits, and 2 sacks.

Brandon Dorlus Scouting Report Introduction

Brandon Dorlus has been an unsung hero for the Ducks defense, making significant contributions to the unit over the past few seasons. His versatility has been an asset to the team as he has been able to play various positions up and down the line of scrimmage, including 3-tech, 5-tech, 4i, and stand-up EDGE.

Dorlus is a superb athlete with excellent overall movement skills. He has impressive length and upper body strength, though he could use some added mass in his lower body. As a penetrating defensive lineman, he excels at rushing the passer. His initial quickness off the ball is outstanding, and he can win edges with his first step. However, his most impressive quality is his ability to win with his hands and the variety of movements he can execute in his pass rush. He has exceptional body control, can bend and flatten towards the quarterback when presented with a gap, and slip past offensive linemen when working upfield.

During the run game, Dorlus leans towards a finesse approach, preferring to use his swim moves to get past linemen or shoot gaps and reach the ball carrier. He displays good foot quickness when pursuing the ball carrier, but he is more effective when he can use his athleticism to beat linemen rather than trying to overpower them.

Despite his many strengths, there are two main concerns regarding Dorlus. The first is his ability to hold up in the running game, as he lacks the power to set the edge consistently and appears to struggle against double teams. Moreover, although used primarily as an edge rusher in Oregon, he lacks the explosiveness and athleticism needed to do so at the next level. Therefore, it is suggested that his true home would be playing in a single-gap defense inside where he can get upfield – something he was not asked to do at Oregon. His ability as an interior rusher is impressive given his length, quickness, and body control. However, there are reservations about how he will perform in his ability to defend the run at the NFL level.

Strengths

Dorlus’ value lies in his impressive motor, which drive his athleticism and allows him to make impactful plays on the field consistently.

One of Dorlus’ most noticeable skills is his versatility in terms of moves, which he is able to execute with a level of precision that few players can match. He also displays exceptional hand use, using his violent hands to great effect in a variety of situations. He is able to play with leverage both inside and outside and keeps a close eye on the backfield when positioned inside. This awareness and his strong hands allow him to move linemen to disrupt offensive plays and easily make tackles.

He is a powerful tackler with good hand strength, which enables him to anchor himself when necessary, shed blockers to get to the ball, and chase down runners in open space.

Weaknesses

The evaluation of Brandon Dorlus’ athletic abilities reveals that he is an average player with respect to speed and agility. His straight-line speed is not particularly noteworthy, and his hip flexibility is relatively limited. The lack of natural bending ability limits his capacity for maneuvering and changing direction effectively.

Furthermore, during his college career, Dorlus demonstrated a reliance on using physical force to overpower opponents. However, in the professional league, he will need to hone his technical skills and develop a more varied toolset for pass-rushing. At the moment, his range of moves is relatively limited, and he lacks the secondary moves necessary to leverage his physical strength effectively. Without this diversity, he may struggle to make the most of his potential as an elite edge rusher.

Moreover, his physical limitations mean that he may not be a particularly effective off the edge, lacking the speed and agility needed to dart around tackles. His skills as a straight-line mover are reliable, but he may struggle to chase down ball carriers effectively.

Brandon Dorlus is our 99th prospect on our draft big board.