NFL Draft Profile: Anfernee Orji, Linebacker, Vanderbilt Commodores
Anfernee Orji
Vanderbilt Commodores
#0
Pos: LB
Ht: 6011
Wt: 230
Hand: 1028
Arm: 3200
Wing: 7818
40: 4.53
DOB: 10/6/2000
Hometown: Rockwall, TX
High School: Rockwall
Eligibility: 2023
One Liner:
Orji is tremendous in zone coverage and displays surprising athleticism near the line of scrimmage, but he struggles to stop the run at a high level and isn’t ideal for man coverage duties.
Evaluation:
Orji took official measurements at the Shrine Bowl. He’s 6011 and weighs 230 lbs. He has 10 1/4-inch hands, 31 7/8-inch arms, and a 78 3/4-inch wingspan. He projects as a weakside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme at the NFL level. Orji played nearly 450 special teams snaps for Vanderbilt, split across the kick return, kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, and field goal block units. He shows high effort in pursuit and is at his best against the run as an instinctive downhill gap shooter. However, his run fits are hit-or-miss. Orji has some upside making blockers miss with quick footwork. His arm length and lack of power make it difficult for him to stack and shed blocks, especially when linemen climb to the second level. Climbing tight ends also give him trouble. Orji dips and bends on stunts and blitzes, displaying impressive athleticism for his build. He gains excellent depth in coverage and displays a high level of awareness in zone. Orji reads the quarterback’s eyes in coverage. His contributions in zone coverage are the best part of his prospect profile. The Texas native has below-average arm length to pair with uninspiring speed and burst. He lacks sideline-to-sideline range and struggles with missed tackles because of his limited tackle radius. Orji appears to suffer from some lower body tightness and lacks the athletic profile for man coverage duties. There are times when he loses track of the football on play action or RPOs.
Grade:
7th Round
Background:
Anfernee Orji is a returning starter for Vanderbilt. In 2021, Orji started all 12 games and led the team with 93 tackles and 13 tackles for loss, finishing 12th in the SEC in total tackles. He also added one sack, one pass break-up, two QB hurries, and a forced fumble. He received Phil Steele Preseason All-SEC (linebacker; 4th team). In 2020, he had nine games played and started. His season stats included having 66 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two pass breakups and one caused fumble. In high school, Orji was a four-star prospect by Rivals, and three-star prospect by ESPN and 247Sports.
