[Direckshun]

DE/OLB Nate Orchard, Utah -- How much do you trust your coaching staff? If you have eminent faith that they can turn any project into success, or if they have a track record of doing so, Orchard could be a worthwhile investment. He has a lot of tools to work with, but leaves a lot of them on the table due to the fact that he is still quite raw at his position (he was recruited to Utah as a WR). He has a great frame for a rushbacker at 6'4", 250 lbs, and could bulk up a bit if a team wanted him as a 4-3 DE. He could get much, much stronger, and, as a former receiver, is oozing with athleticism that will likely get him noticed at the Combine. His technique is extremely inconsistent, however, he doesn't have that many passrushing moves, and he doesn't play as strong, big, or fast as he is -- so how the hell has he been so productive for the Utes? Because Orchard is an incredibly enthusiastic worker w/ a neverending motor on the football field. Orchard plays with great hand strength, making his sheer size just too much for most tackles to handle, often times getting his sacks on a 2nd or 3rd effort. He's a very hard worker in the run game as well, and when he keeps his gap and technique, he can dictate to tackles on run downs and make it difficult to run on him -- in a way reminding me of the Justin Houston we saw at Georgia. That attitude and hard work on the field will make him extremely attractive early on the second day of the draft, as a (likely 3-4) team dreams about combining that athleticism and power with better discipline and technique.