Domonique Orange, DL, Iowa State: 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report plus pro comp

Production on the stat sheet hasn't been the calling card of Iowa State's Domonique Orange, but his tape shows he has more than enough traits to succeed in the NFL. He's set to be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft in April, and is one of the more volatile evaluations of the entire class, especially at the DL position.

Orange picked the Cyclones over some high-profile programs as a four-star recruit in 2022, and worked his way into substantial playing time by the time his freshman season began. He finished his college career with 50 total games under his belt, working primarily as a run-stopping defensive lineman, and making the All-Big 12 team after his impressive senior campaign.

Domonique Orange NFL Draft Profile:

Position: Defensive Lineman

School: Iowa State Cyclones

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 325 pounds

Hometown: Kansas City, MO

Statistics:

2025: 18 Tackles, 0.5 TFL, 1 PBU

Career: 66 Tackles, 7 TFL, 1 Sack, 2 PBU

Strengths:

Powerful out of his stance, drives through the lineman’s pads, and uses his leverage well to generate momentum

Centers himself really well when working laterally and sinking into his base to stop run plays

Has a ton of power when he gets his feet under him, and he’s able to work right through the OL

Solid initial rip move, gets himself between linemen quickly, and can plug gaps with his frame

Good shoulder stability to keep himself moving forward when linemen try to chip him after winning initially

Has the overall power to anchor down and hold his ground to take up space along the interior

Fantastic communicator within the defensive structure, often controls the plays and can directly impact the second-level defense success

Incredible play strength, can absolutely maul people at the line of scrimmage, and throw around linemen with ease

Weaknesses:

Will occasionally rely on his shoulders too much for shock contact instead of winning with technique

Very little pass rush production across his collegiate career

Hands can be slow at the contact point, and will get lazy and drag his upper half into the OL, losing his drive

Has issues at times failing to establish his lower half, and can lose his balance and overall power structure

Allows himself to be manipulated early in plays,and will be moved away from gaps on longer-developing run plays

Arms are too slow after initial contact to make any headway as a pass rusher after his initial strike

Gets turned around too often, will be forced to get rotational, and doesn’t have the quick-twitch athleticism to work back and avoid giving up space

Quicker OL can get leverage on him when he tries to work up and through them

NFL Outlook:

It’s more than a reasonable guess to say that Orange won’t ever see substantial success as a pass rusher, but his overall impact on the game should easily dwarf his college production. He communicates with the defense impressively well and has the play strength and initial explosiveness to truly wreak havoc at times. How much he’s on the field and how much value he can provide as a pass rusher will be important questions, but he has more than enough of a foundation to be viewed as an important piece for teams to add to their defense.

NFL Player Comparison:

The NFL will always have a role for nasty, run-stuffing defensive linemen who can get violent on the interior, and one player who has proven that point in recent years is Arizona Cardinals' DT Dalvin Tomlinson. The 9-year veteran has consistently found playing time on the defensive line for a handful of teams, as well as seeing a bit of pass rush production from time to time. Orange can align himself with the profile of Tomlinson at the next level, and has the athletic tools to replicate his NFL success.

Prospect Grade:

Late 3rd Round