After a 2008 season in which the rookies largely faltered, Washington Redskins Coach Jim Zorn proclaimed that whomever the team selected 13th overall in April's draft would have to contribute immediately. Now, with the first round of the draft completed and Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo the newest Redskin, that will likely require some juggling from the coaching staff.
Orakpo's speed and 11 1/2 sacks as a senior endeared him to team officials seeking to upgrade their pass rush, but Orakpo could alternate at linebacker and end as he learns the NFL game. Zorn said yesterday that Orakpo would come in as a left defensive end, but during his visit to Redskins Park Orakpo spent considerable time breaking down film with linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti and figured he could end up spending more snaps as a strong-side linebacker.
"It's all about the packages that I can bring to the table," Orakpo said in a conference call with the media. "In talking to coach K.O., the linebacker coach, he really likes me and sees me as a SAM [strong-side] backer on first and second [down], and when it's time to get after it on third-and-long or whatever the situation is, I'll get down in a [three-point] stance and rush the passer and do what I do best. That's the thing about me, I bring a lot of versatility to the table."
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On the left side, where Orakpo will play, Phillip Daniels and Renaldo Wynn, both near the end of their careers and best as rotational players, stand before him on the depth chart. While both are very strong, and excel against the run, they have battled age and injury and counting on them to be productive all season long is a gamble. Orakpo, who had knee sprains each of the last two seasons and missed four games as a senior, is like a younger, quicker version of Daniels in many respects, but must make major strides in his run stopping.
"He's got an explosive takeoff, explosive sped and the ability to get the corner," Cerrato said. "He can bend that corner once he gets around the tackles. He doesn't take extra steps."
Defensive coordinator Greg Blache's system has been predicated on his linemen absorbing blockers and allowing the linebackers to make plays, and with Wynn and Daniels suited to that, Orakpo playing strong-side linebacker on running downs makes sense. Even at linebacker, he will need work at the point of attack, with one NFL scout who evaluated him suggesting he be stunted with some regularity.
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