The Cleveland Browns reached a contract agreement with their 2nd round pick Nate Orchard out of Utah, according to the team’s website. Orchard joins tight end Randall Telfer as the second rookie drafted to sign the dotted line for the Browns today.
According to the Ravens Insider Aaron Wilson, the deal is worth four years $4.4 mil, which includes $2.5 mil guaranteed, and a $1.5 mil signing bonus.
Nate Orchard four-year Browns deal: $4.466 million, $2.581 million guaranteed, including $1.508 million signing bonus
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) May 7, 2015
The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Orchard set a school record in 2014 with 18.5 sacks, while also leading the nation in quarterback knockdowns with 28. Orchard was second-team All-American and first-team All-Pac-12 in 2014, and won the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation’s top defensive end. He finished second on the team with 84 tackles.
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“It just jumps out at you,” head coach Mike Pettine told the team’s website. “As you go through this process, sometimes it gets very complicated with the numbers and statistics and the measurables. We have a saying that the best predictor of future success is past success. This is a guy who has a knack to find the quarterback. He’s a guy that we’ve had our eye on for a long time throughout this process, and we’re very excited for him to be a Cleveland Brown.”
Orchard joins fellow Utes alumni Paul Kruger, and Barkevious Mingo to give the Browns what could be a solid pass rushing attack from the outside.
“(Nate) was not a guy that had his hand on the ground a lot,” Farmer told the team’s website. “You go back and watch the tape this past year, they moved the kid all over the place. He played stacked, he played SAM, he played everywhere so I think it was the ability for him to not be pegged in one spot and move around and kind of use his skill set against a variety of people. You can see the kid has all the tools to have success.”
Originally recruited as a wide receiver, Orchard converted to defensive end and instant contributed for Utah on defense and special teams. He played in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2011 and all 12 games the following season. Orchard became a starter his junior year, taking over at left end in the Utes’ base defense. Though he only registered 3 1/2 sacks that season, he consistently found ways to hurry throws and flush the quarterback out of the pocket. The Browns will look for Orchard to contribute in the same fashion on defense as he did in college, he has a nose for the quarterback and consistently found a way to get around the outside.
What do you think of Nate Orchard’s contract? Do you think he will start week 1 on the outside opposite Kruger?