​With only a couple of weeks remaining before the Atlanta Falcons roll into training camp, the buzz surrounding a single player is loudest: defensive tackle Brandon Dorlus. The former fourth-round pick out of Oregon made a noticeable surge last season after an underwhelming rookie year. Yet, because he plays for the Falcons, many outside Atlanta may not be fully aware of the strides he’s taken. The 2023 third-year defensive lineman has lately appeared on several media “breakout candidate” lists, with ESPN placing him on its Falcons-focused breakout list just last week.
On Monday, Josh Kendall of The Athletic named Dorlus as Atlanta’s “breakout player to watch” for the 2026 NFL season. Kendall highlighted what Dorlus accomplished down the stretch: “Dorlus had six sacks and 22 quarterback pressures in his final eight games last season.” That kind of leap was precisely what the Falcons hoped for when they selected him in the fourth round in 2024, but it seemed uncertain for a time. He played only 19 snaps as a rookie and then delivered 1.5 sacks in his first seven games the following year. In the offseason, the Falcons moved on from his close ally and linemate, Ruke Orhorhoro, trading him away, but they added more beef up front around Dorlus to free him to chase the quarterback even more this season.
In total for the season, Dorlus finished with 8.5 sacks, 11 quarterback hits, and 11 tackles for a loss, along with 14 pressures and merely one missed tackle. The production he supplied on the pass rush helped the Falcons lead the NFC in sacks last year, a notable team-wide achievement and a key reason for the defense’s success.
Now at the top of Atlanta’s interior defensive line depth chart, Dorlus is the clear linchpin in the rotation. Beyond him, however, the depth behind the second-year standout is something of a concern. Grady Jarrett and David Onyemata have departed, and there hasn’t yet been a proven contributor to step into the void left by their departures. If anything, the team faces a steep drop-off behind Dorlus, making the rest of the interior group a potential area of vulnerability as the season approaches.
Looking ahead, the Falcons may well consider targeting a strong interior defensive line prospect early in the 2027 NFL Draft, and perhaps even weigh a move for a high-caliber name if a trade opportunity presents itself as the season progresses. This storyline about Dorlus isn’t merely a local curiosity; it’s a reflection of how a breakout season by one young lineman can shape a team’s outlook for the coming year and beyond.