MOBILE, Ala. — Oregon defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus has a goal for this week’s Senior Bowl practices.
Dorlus, the versatile 6-foot-3, 272-pound Deerfield Beach High School product, excelled as an edge rusher for the Ducks last season with a career-best 5.0 sacks. But earlier in his college career he excelled as a 3-technique, basically a defensive lineman who lines up between the guard and tackle.
Now, he finds himself with the ’tweener tag, which means he doesn’t ideally fit anywhere.
“People say he’s a jack of all trades, master of none,” Dorlus said. “I’m going to try to show them I’m a master of 3-technique. That’s my goal.”
Dorlus, rated as the No. 5 defensive end by ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr., is regarded as a second-round draft pick who could move into the first round with a good showing at the Senior Bowl, NFL scouting combine and his Pro Day.
There’s a chance Dorlus could draw interest from his hometown Miami Dolphins, depending on what they decide to do with defensive lineman Christian Wilkins, who is eligible to become a free agent, and depending on who they hire as defensive coordinator.
With Wilkins in the fold, which would mean either a franchise tag or a multi-year contract extension, and again teaming with fellow defensive lineman Zach Sieler to make a fearsome twosome, the Dolphins would be set at starting interior defensive line.
Without Wilkins, however, the Dolphins have a huge hole to fill.
The Dolphins’ first-round selection is No. 21, too high for Dorlus as things currently stand.
The Dolphins’ second-round selection is No. 55, which could be in the correct range, or perhaps a bit low. There’s still a lot that can happen.
Whatever the case, Dorlus wants his thoughts known.
“I feel like I can cause havoc inside,” he said. “And honestly I’m more comfortable inside. I can play on the edge, if you need me to. I’ll stop the run. I’ll do anything you ask of me. I’m one of those players, whatever you ask, I’ll do it.”
At Tuesday’s Senior Bowl practice, Dorlus only lined up on the edge once and that was for a 1-on-1 drill. All other times he was inside, much to his liking.
“I’m trying to focus more on the interior and show them I can play inside,” he said.
He also has another strength he wants to display.
“Just show my football IQ, how fast I can learn their playbook, how fast I can learn about the guys I’m going against, what moves don’t work against them, what moves work against them,” he said. “Just show them how good of a student I am of the game.”
Dorlus has extra motivation for wanting to succeed and excel in the NFL — his 2-year-old son, Brandon Dorlus Jr., who lives in California with his mother.
Dorlus said as soon as he gets settled in an NFL city, Brandon Jr. is coming along.
“Having a son, he’s always in the back of my head, and how I’ve got to do everything for him,” he said. “When I’m out here, I’m playing for him. Everything I do, I want to be the best so I can support him, not just now but in the future, I want to have generational wealth for him so he knows I always have his back.”
Scouting reports say Dorlus doesn’t have the ideal athleticism or skills for a NFL edge rusher and he doesn’t have the ideal size for a NFL 3-technique.
But they consistently say Dorlus has a future in the league as a key reserve or possible starter.
Dorlus seems very comfortable breaking down his game, even his weaknesses.
“Sometimes I used to get a little too happy to try to make my own play, jump out of my gap, be undisciplined,” he said.
“So I just want to be disciplined, show that I’m a team player, I’m not going to do my own stuff.”
Dorlus, who was a fifth-year senior, said he always enjoyed his time at Oregon, his dream school, and feels good about the legacy he left in Eugene.
“I feel like I for sure fulfilled everything I wanted to,” he said. “I met my goals. We didn’t meet our team goals. We wanted to win everything, but that’s how football is. It’s a game of inches.
“Of course I would want more stats, but I’m happy with what I did. I put everything I wanted to put on film, showed I’m disruptive in the run game, disruptive in the pass, effort player, plays for my team.”
