Brandon Dorlus Drafted to Atlanta Falcons: Did Falcons Get Steal Of Draft? Contract Details

Former Oregon Duck football player Dorlus ran the 40 in a killer 4.85 seconds at the NFL Combine.

Oct 28, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive end Brandon Dorlus (3) celebrates / Christopher Creveling-USA TODAY Sports

Former Oregon Duck defensive end Brandon Dorlus was drafted No. 109 overall to the Atlanta Falcons in the 2024 NFL Draft. Fresh off his best season yet, Atlanta could have just gotten a draft steal.

There was a generous sentiment that Dorlus should have gotten more buzz during the draft process. 

The 6-foot-3,  283-pound Dorlus ran the 40 in a killer 4.85 seconds at the NFL Combine. His time was second among DL only to Florida State's Branden Fiske. 

FIT WITH ATLANTA

Physical and forceful, Dorlus played everywhere on the defensive line for Oregon. His versatility will play well in the NFL, which loves a hybrid player. Dorlus naturally fits as a power end in both 4-3 and 3-4 schemes, though teams might consider having him bulk up to assume a full-time role as a 3-technique.

Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive end Brandon Dorlus (3) against the Liberty / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

CONTRACT

Dorlus' four-year contract with the Falcons is projected to be worth $4,842,396, with a $822,396 signing bonus, according to OverTheCap.com

PRO COMPARISON

Dorlus is compared to Carlos Dunlap by NFL.com because of their similar pass rushing and run stopping ability. Dunlap earned two Pro Bowl selections and won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022.

COLLEGE CAREER

In 2023, Dorlus lead the Ducks with a career-high 5 sacks and added 6.5 tackles for loss, 25 total tackles, nine passes defended and one fumble recovery. Dorlus earned an All-Pac-12 first-team defense selection.

Dorlus played five seasons with the Ducks and improved each year, finishing with 106 total tackles, 12 sacks and 27 tackles for loss. He signed as a three-star recruit out of Deerfield Beach (Fla.) in the class of 2019. 

Dorlus is the fifth Duck drafted so far in the 2024 NFL Draft, joining Bo Nix, Jackson Powers-Johnson, Troy Franklin and Khyree Jackson.