30 prospects in 30 days: Iowa State’s Dominique Orange

TL;DR

Iowa State's Dominique Orange is a seasoned nose tackle entering the NFL draft, having played 50 college games. He excels at drawing double teams to support his teammates, prioritizing team success over personal stats.

Key points

Dominique Orange is a nose tackle from Iowa State.
He played in 50 college games.
Orange focuses on freeing up teammates rather than personal stats.

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Iowa State

Dominique Orange

30 prospects in 30 days: Iowa State’s Dominique Orange

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Iowa State’s Dominique Orange is one of the few true tested nose tackles in the draft. He’s a player who comes to the NFL with a ton of experience.

Orange played in 50 games at the college level, consistently proving his ability to eat up double teams. His stats aren’t eye-popping, but that comes with the job title of nose tackle, something Orange had to become comfortable with.

“Like I said, I’m not the end, and it took me a little bit to understand, you know, the end is going to get about five, six tackles, three and a half sacks a game, you know, that is what it is,” Orange said. “But me, you know, as long as I’m freeing up other guys within the defense, make sure they win, I’m cool with that. I’m at a point where, hey, even if I got to take the whole line, so be it. As long as everybody winning, hey, I’m cool with that.”

Here’s how the sturdy, powerful tackle attacks offensive linemen.

“I’m gonna always start off the game with power. You know, let teams know I’m being in your face all day,” Orange said.

“Like, you know what I’m saying? I’m going to run through you until you figure out to stop it,” Orange continued. “The moment you think you can stop it, okay, cool. I’m switching up with speed a little bit and get you off your feet. And by that time you don’t know what to do. So now I’m gonna just keep switching it up until you figure out a way to stop me. But by that time the game over.”

Orange compares his style of play to a hammerhead shark.

“It was just one game where I couldn’t be stopped, and I’m just running through everybody’s face. I’m like, dang, I feel like a hammerhead shark, you know what I’m saying? It can’t stop me for real,” Orange said. “So, you know, I look at that little name myself. I don’t know if it’s going to stick, but I’m going to keep it for now.”

With the last name Orange, a sponsorship deal should just fall out of a tree.

“I ain’t gonna lie. Cuties? Hey, hey, Cuties. If you want your boy, I’m here,” Orange said.

Orange is projected to be a third-round draft pick.