Anfernee Orji NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Vanderbilt LB
HEIGHT: 6'1"
WEIGHT: 230
HAND: 10¼"
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ARM: 32"
WINGSPAN: 78¾"
40-YARD DASH: 4.53
3-CONE: 7.0
SHUTTLE: 4.43
VERTICAL: 38.5"
BROAD: 10'2"
POSITIVES
– Against the run, he can use his quickness to make offensive linemen miss and is good at taking on blocks with a flipper.
– Has good leverage at the point of attack.
– Fast when coming downhill and reads the running back's path well versus zone runs to make plays near the line of scrimmage when the back bounces.
– Impressive eye discipline in zone coverage to locate threats and take them away and/or help teammates in coverage.
– Decent at reading the quarterback's eyes to anticipate throws.
– Can carry tight ends down the field.
– Good acceleration to click and close and can deliver a blow.
NEGATIVES
– When he has to take on blocks one-on-one and with his hands, he lacks the strength to hold up at the point of attack against offensive linemen. Gets stuck and struggles to escape.
– Lacks power when coming downhill as a blitzer to displace offensive linemen and/or get penetration.
– Versus pin-and-pull runs, he has a habit of fitting to the inside of the pin block instead of the outside, and he lacks the strength to fight back against pressure.
– Struggles to tackle in space. He either doesn't know when to break down and ends up running by or lunges and doesn't bring his feet with him.
– Will get boxed out and lose at the catch point against bigger tight ends. Subpar ball skills don't help here either.
2022 STATS
– 12 G, 106 total tackles (52 solo), 6.5 TFL, 1 SK, 1 INT, 1 PD, 1 FF
NOTES
– A 3-star recruit in the 2019 class, No. 468 overall, No. 38 safety, per 247Sports' composite rankings
– 33 career starts
– No major injuries
– 2022 Honors: Team Captain, Second-Team All-SEC (Phil Steele), led SEC with 9.0 tackles per game, led Vanderbilt in tackles for the third year in a row
– Brother, Alston, played linebacker at Vanderbilt; and brother, Alex, is a quarterback at Michigan
OVERALL
At Vanderbilt, Anfernee Orji played strong safety for the first two years of his career before switching to linebacker. His background as a defensive back shows up via his instincts in coverage, as he's able to find threats and recognize passing concepts. He's also a good athlete for the position who can click and close in a hurry.
Against the run, Orji can be effective when he uses his quickness and a good flipper technique to defeat blocks but struggles when he has to use his hands and hold up at the point of attack. He also misses frequently when trying to tackle in space, which will be an issue against outside runs.
The Commodore is a good Day 3 target for a zone-heavy team looking for an off-ball linebacker who has the potential to grow into a well-rounded player. He's still relatively new to the position, and a lot of his issues can be fixed by spending time in an NFL training program. He also has experience playing special teams, which is a bonus.
GRADE: 5.9 (Backup or Draftable/Rounds 6-7Backup/Draftable — Rounds 6-7)
OVERALL RANK: 202
POSITION RANK: LB12
PRO COMPARISON: Eric Wilson
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