Senior Bowl: Utah’s Orchard and Arkansas’ Flowers impress

Utah’s Nate Orchard and Arkansas’ Trey Flowers helped their stock this week at the Senior Bowl.

Orchard and Flowers emerged early as the top pass rushers in Mobile at the all-star event, and they continued bursting through tackles and tight ends throughout the week.

They highlighted a group of defensive ends and outside linebackers that could be appetizing to the Carolina Panthers late in the first round of the NFL draft as general manager Dave Gettleman promises to take the best player available. The draft is April 30-May 2.

“It’s no thing to me being a 3-4 (defense) standing up as an outside linebacker or a 4-3 hand in the dirt,” Flowers said.

In the predraft process, teams figure out which players fit better as an outside linebacker in a four-linebacker defensive scheme or who works as a defensive end along a four-linemen front.

Flowers played along the defensive line at Arkansas, where he led the team in sacks last season with six and recorded 151/2 tackles for loss. He tried to buck the trend of being just a power rusher by showing his speed against his South team’s offensive line counterparts.

Though he’s just 6-foot-2 and 268 pounds, Flowers has one of the biggest wingspans in Mobile at 841/4 inches.

“I like to think of myself as a power rusher,” Flowers said. “I like to use my hands a lot, and that gives me an advantage with my wingspan.”

In an interview with the Observer this week, Gettleman reiterated his draft philosophy of drafting the best player available. Gettleman hasn’t shied from acknowledging his love of defensive linemen, and the team could use a defensive end soon.

Mario Addison, Wes Horton and Kony Ealy did not establish themselves as every-down starters opposite Charles Johnson in 2014. There’s little chance Greg Hardy returns to the Panthers in free agency, and that could mean Gettleman takes a defensive end with a first- or second-round pick for the second consecutive year.

Orchard’s story is as good as his game. The defensive end was born in Los Angeles with the name Napaa Lilo Fakahafua. He went by Nate growing up, and in 2013 he legally changed his last name to Orchard after his guardians, Dave and Katherine.

At Thursday morning’s practice with the North team, Orchard showed his versatility along the line when he intercepted quarterback Bryce Petty at the line of scrimmage on a simple screen pass to a running back.

“I felt the running back coming right behind me, and I was locked up with the tackle,” Orchard said. “I started drifting backward, and it was right there in my face.”

Orchard can drop into coverage, and he practiced that this week with the Titans’ coaches against the tight ends. But he feels he’s better suited in a 4-3 defense.

“I’d prefer to play with my hand in the ground. I’ve done it for 10 years,” Orchard said. “But if I had to play outside linebacker, the transition would be smooth.”

If he hopes to play defensive end in the NFL, Orchard must add weight. At 251 pounds, he will need at least 20 more pounds before he can be considered a legitimate pass-rushing end.

He spoke with the Panthers – who play a 4-3 defense – at the Senior Bowl this week and shared a connection. He played beside former first-round pick Star Lotulelei in college.

Orchard recalled Lotulelei being “nice but mean at the same time” but someone who he could go to for advice on or off the field.

“A great guy. A great example,” Orchard said. “He was definitely one that I looked up to during my time there at Utah. He was a great leader.”