MADISON, Wis. – Former University of Wisconsin linebacker Chris Orr has battled adversity throughout his football career. Overlooked in recruiting, a torn ACL and struggling for playing time during his redshirt sophomore and junior seasons, Orr found a way to overcome all those obstacles in his path.
It's only fitting that his professional career would start out in a similar way.
After going undrafted during the seven rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft, Orr signed a free agent deal with the Carolina Panthers.
It's a familiar position to the Orr family, as Chris's older brother, Zach, went undrafted and eventually became an All-Pro with the Baltimore Ravens.
After tearing his ACL on the first defensive snap of UW’s season-opening win over LSU at Lambeau Field in 2017, Orr split time at the position the next two seasons until again taking over the full-time job in 2019. Elected a team captain, Orr delivered with 78 tackles, including 14 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks, the latter numbers being the most in a single season by an inside linebacker in school history. Orr also logged eight quarterback hurries, broke up five passes and forced two fumbles, stats that earned him consensus second-team All-Big Ten honors.
Orr’s BadgerBlitz.com Draft Profile
Strengths: After posting 2.5 sacks in his first four seasons on the roster, Orr showed how relentless a pass rusher he can be. Possessing a high motor, Orr never stops moving and doesn’t give up on plays until the whistle. He has been a strong tackler since high school and is an instinctual player, allowing him to play confidently downhill on blitzes and change direction to stop the ball carrier.
Orr weighs in at 225 pounds but plays heavier than that. He rarely gets outmuscled on plays and delivers big hits with his explosion off the snap. His lighter weight also gives him the ability to weave through traffic and finish off plays.
At Wisconsin’s Pro Day, Orr registered a 4.65-second 40-yard dash, a 4.08-second 20-yard shuttle, 6.99 seconds in the 3-cone, 110.0 inches in the broad jump, 36.5 inches in the vertical and 20 reps on the bench. Had he been invited to the NFL Scouting Combine and put up those testing numbers, Orr would have ranked first in the 20-yard, fifth in the 3-cone and eighth in the vertical of those who tested.
In addition to his leadership qualities, Orr plays with a chip on his shoulder. He was overlooked in high school, dealt injuries early in college and wasn’t invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. The first two instances fueled him for success in future opportunities.
Having a father and an older brother both play and have success at the professional level, Orr’s football bloodlines have allowed him to carry himself with professional confidence.
Weaknesses: While his motor is his best attribute, the 6-foot Orr is undersized and will probably need to add some weight now that he appears fully healthy. The ACL injury happened nearly four years ago, so that likely won’t be a major concern for teams. The one thing he won’t be able to add is his length (another area he lacks in compared to others), so improving his anticipation to be able to break off from blockers will be critical.
Orr doesn’t have the starting experience other draft-eligible linebackers have and there are gaps in his tape because of it. Wisconsin’s defense under Jim Leonhard doesn’t require the inside linebackers to do a lot of pass coverage besides the underneath zones, so Orr doesn’t have much film of him showing his skills in that area. Furthermore, what is there shows Orr as an average cover linebacker. Linebackers in the NFL need to be able to cover running backs in the flat, which doesn’t appear to be Orr’s current strength.
