VT Chats with DT Domonique Orange: “Don’t Get it Twisted: I Can Pass Rush”

DT Domonique Orange is a charming, energetic guy.

He and I had a quick chat following the Vikings and Ravens joint practice at TCO Performance Center. Along the way, Orange talked about his power as a defensive tackle, his impression of joint practices, and whether the scouting report about his pass rush (or lack thereof) was warranted.

VT Chats with Domonique Orange

Domonique Orange’s “Big Citrus” moniker is well earned. The Vikings list him as being 6’2″ and 322 pounds (numbers I won’t dispute).

Obviously, there’s a game taking place with the young fella’s last name: Orange = Citrus. But then there’s his hulking size. Even against NFL linemen Orange stands out as being particularly large and rugged. As it turns out, Orange can get into the backfield, as well.

“I know I’m a run stuffer,” Orange said, “but don’t get it twisted: I can pass rush.” Not long afterwards, the DT clarified that a lot of his college responsibility was to “take on triple teams, double teams, and I take that with pride.” And then a great quote: “Yeah, I’m going to push against that scouting report a little bit. Of course I’m going to take pride in playing the run but I can rush the passer.”

Check out the play Mr. Orange and I discussed:

He chatted for a bit about his various pass rush moves, bringing things back to power by describing his bull rush. Playing off that is a double-swipe move to get an o-lineman’s hands off of him.

In fact, I asked Orange to physically show me how the swipe is done. I put my arms out and asked him to swipe them away. Reader, I’m not embarrassed to admit that I prefaced my participation with the caveat that he please not hurt me or throw me to the ground. Anybody who has played or coached ball knows that physically doing the rep can be very illuminating.

So, too, can he integrate a swim into the mix for his bull rush: “It’s hard, but it’s definitely possible.” He’s probably not going to remind onlookers of Everson Griffen but it’s in there.

Oh, and maybe a touch late, but check out what Lance Zierlein had to say in his scouting report: “Orange is a sturdy nose tackle capable of muddying the middle of the field with his first-step quickness and take-on power. His reaction time makes it hard to reach-block him in zone and he has the anchor to play landlord over the A-gaps against double-teams. He gets bounced around on contact but is excellent in recovery and winning the final phase of the rep. Orange is a non-factor as a pass rusher, but his value versus the run should attract teams.”

Across four seasons in college, Domonique Orange picked up just a single sack. Not great, right?

Sacks are wonderful but the single number is precisely that: a single number. A defensive tackle who drives the center directly back into the QB’s lap — think back to when Akiem Hicks would push Garrett Bradbury directly into Kirk Cousins — is offering a fantastic pass-rush rep even if there’s not an added “1” in the player’s sack column.

Moreover, Domonique Orange raised a good point when clarifying that he was tasked with playing a specific role in his college defense. Soaking up blockers isn’t glamorous but it allows the team more broadly to shine since linebackers can run free.

Asked about his impression of joint practices, Orange began with the admission that there was “a lot more fighting than I thought.” More broadly, Orange felt as though he “did really well” while still insisting that he’s looking to improve.

Domonique Orange will take the field yet again tomorrow as he looks to build off a solid day of work.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.