Domonique Orange Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Jeff Spour)

School: Iowa State

Class: Senior

Position: DT

HT: 6’4

WT: 325 lbs

Background: Domonique Orange was a 3-star nose tackle out of Kansas City, Missouri. Orange was a top 10 player in the state and top 75 player at his position. Domonique was twice named an all-state selection and was named an all-district selection three times for North Kansas City High School. Domonique “Big Citrus” Orange committed to Iowa State over Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, and others.

College: As a true freshman for the Cyclones in 2022, Orange was an instant impact player, playing in all 12 games and finishing with 8 tackles. Orange started 5 games and appeared in all 13, finishing with 16 tackles and 2 TFLs. 2024 saw Orange make 24 tackles and 4.5 for a loss on his way to an All-Big 12 honorable mention selection for the second consecutive year. He was also an Academic All-Big 12 selection that year. In 8 games in 2025, Orange totaled 18 tackles on the season.

Strengths: Domonique Orange has the ideal build for a 1-tech nose tackle in the NFL. He has a thick lower half that allows him to patrol gaps and hold contain in the run game. He has the strength to anchor himself and absorb zone blocks. Chip blocks do not do much to Orange as he is able to penetrate gaps with ease. Orange explodes out of his stance into the point of attack. His strength and explosiveness create serious knockback, walking the offensive lineman into the lap of the quarterback. He has violent and heavy hands in the phone booth to get into the chest of the opponent. His hands work in unison with his legs, never stopping and constantly creating havoc. Orange’s strength directly translates to his ability to make tackles with offensive linemen latched onto him. He has no problem leaping into the gap while engaged in the phone booth to make a tackle. He does well to get low and play with good leverage to get under the pads of opponents, allowing him to uproot and displace offensive linemen.

Weaknesses: As a pass rusher, Orange struggles to deconstruct blocks. He tends to be taken off his rush after he engages at the point of attack. If he does not explode through the gap and immediately put opponents on their heels, he will not create any pressure. His low ability to shed blockers is a large reason why he has such limited pass rushing numbers. He can put himself in less than advantageous positions in open space. He opens himself up to getting worked around by more agile ball carriers when he lunges or takes bad angles to the football.

Conclusion: Domonique Orange is a massive 1-tech who can completely change the course of a game with his ability to shut down the run between the tackles. He needs to figure out how to use his hands in a more functional way as a pass rusher to be more effective on all three downs.

Best Team Fits: BUF, DET, CIN

Player Comparison: Otito Ogbonnia

Player Grade: Round 3 (79.2)