This year’s linebacker class is as highly regarded a class at this position in a long time. The talent is headlined by Ohio State’s freak of nature Sonny Styles and Georgia’s C.J. Allen, but the depth extends all the way through Day 3. One of those later talents is TCU’s Kaleb Elarms-Orr. He is actually currently unlisted on the LWOS Big Board, but this ascending player should be.
Kaleb Elarms-Orr 2026 NFL Draft Profile
Measurements*
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 234
Arm Length: 31 4/8″
Hand Size: 9″
*All confirmed at the NFL Scouting Combine
Player Background
Kaleb Elarms-Orr attended high school at Moreau Catholic High School in Hayward, California. Coming out of high school, he was a 4-star recruit. He committed to the University of California, Berkeley, to play football in 2021. As a freshman in 2021, he did not play the entire season due to injury and thus redshirted. The following season, his redshirt freshman season, he played the entire season as a special teamer. In 2023, he finally got the opportunity to start for the Golden Bears. He made the most of it, racking up 66 tackles, 30 “stops” (tackles that constitute as a ‘failure’ for the offense, 1 forced fumble, 2 sacks, and 1 interception. He was named to the Second Team All-PAC 12 multiple times as a result of his play.
Following this breakout year, Elarms-Orr transferred to TCU. He was once again a backup, so his willingness to transfer there shows a lot about his willingness to compete. As a backup in 2024, he tallied 33 tackles, 21 stops, and 2 sacks. Following this season, Elarms-Orr stayed at TCU for his senior season. This proved to be a great decision, as he had yet another breakout year. 2025 saw Elarms-Orr put up 89 tackles (2nd on team, 1 behind leader Jamel Johnson), 53 stops (led team), and 4 sacks (tied for team lead). To cap off his stellar season, he was named the Defensive MVP of the Alamo Bowl following TCU’s victory over USC. He was named to the First Team All-Big 12 for his play as well.
Strengths
- Tackling has gotten better every year, great in 2025 – ascending player
- Run defense is his trump card – trusts his instincts wholeheartedly, and it often rewards him
- Legitimate sideline-to-sideline speed, backed up at combine (4.47 40)
- Very effective as a blitzer
Weaknesses
- Pass coverage is weak (only 8 forced incompletions and 1 int over the last 3 seasons)
- Can get in trouble at times, biting on play action
- Slightly undersized, which creates problems when taking on larger blockers
Projected Draft Capital: Early Day 3
Team Fits: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets
Player Comparison: Elandon Roberts
Last Word on Kaleb Elarms-Orr in the 2026 NFL Draft
Right now, Kaleb Elarms-Orr will most likely factor in as a role player for whichever team takes a chance on him. However, his trajectory suggests that his best football is still in front of him. He has improved every year since 2023, when he got the chance to start at Cal. His missed tackle rate has decreased each year. The amount of tackles he had as a starter in 2023 vs 2025 is much more in favor of the latter. While still not perfect, his PFF coverage grade has increased every year as well. This is clearly an ascending player. However, ascending doesn’t mean ascended. He still has issues. As mentioned earlier, his coverage is not perfect as he lets up completions often (>70% reception percentage every season). His great instincts against the run can also leave him hanging out to dry against play action. His best landing spot would be with a team that has a need for a sideline-to-sideline defender against the run, that also has a veteran in place to mentor him in coverage. The Jets and Buccaneers stand out in this regard, with Demario Davis and Alex Anzalone joining them this season.
Main Photo: [Vasha Hunt] – Imagn Images
