Commitment Spotlight: LB Prince Dorbah

Texas has gone far and wide for linebackers over the past few recruiting cycles. In 2018, it was Ayodele Adeoye from IMG Academy in Florida. The 2019 class included De’Gabriel Floyd from California and Marcus Tillman from Florida. In 2020, Texas did not have to go far to secure their first linebacker commit. Peter Dorbah was a linebacker identified early as someone who could be a good fit in Todd Orlando’s defense. Ultimately, it was a fit that was too good to pass up, as Dorbah pulled the trigger and became the newest member of the 2020 class.

Strong defensive effort leads Texas past TCU, 70-55

Poor offensive showing dooms Texas in 75-67 loss to Oklahoma State

Dorbah ranks as 7th best outside linebacker in the country and the 111th best player overall, according to the 247sports composite rankings. He chose the Longhorns over offers from LSU, Oklahoma State, Baylor and Arkansas.

Film Analysis

Player Information

Name: Prince Dorbah

Position: LB

High School: Highland Park

City & State: Dallas, Texas

Measurables

Height: 6’2.5

Weight: 208

40-yard time: 4.8

Shuttle: N/A

Statistics

2018: 92 Tackles, 36 TFL, 20 Sacks

Three Best Traits:

Potential Fit – One of the toughest positions to recruit for in the Texas defense is the B-Backer position. It is a position most players don’t start off playing in high school, but instead grow into as they transition into college. Dorbah is someone who could fit very well in the B-Backer spot depending on how he grows into his body. He has experience playing with his hand in the dirt as a defensive end, but also can play off the ball and possesses linebacker traits.

Awareness and Physicality- On film, Dorbah is someone who stands out as football savvy. He rarely puts himself in a bad position and shows good awareness to help him make plays. He is not afraid to mix it up between the tackles in run support and can fight through traffic to get to the ball carrier.

Motor and Athleticism–Dorbah is someone who always finds himself around the ball. He flies around the field and has a nose for the ball. The athleticism he shows on film proves he could be a successful linebacker if he grows into the position.

Three Worst Traits:

Developing as a pass rusher– This is will likely be the biggest question mark for Dorbah once he gets to Austin. All of the tools are there, but he will need to put it all together in order to be someone who can be relied upon to rush the passer.

Size – Right now, Dorbah does not have the size to endure life as a linebacker in the Big 12. This shouldn’t be too much of a concern, mainly due to the fact that he is likely to spend his freshman year under the watchful eye of Yancy McKnight. If he is able to add 15-20 pounds and grow into his frame like expected, there is little doubt he will be a good college player.

Using his leverage- One of the most important aspects of someone who is playing around the line of scrimmage is using leverage to move your opponent where you want them to go. As Dorbah adds weight, Todd Orlando is likely to spend a lot of time with him refining his ability to get lower than his opponent and force his way into the backfield.

Summary

College coaches often talk about finding players who fit their scheme well, and Dorbah is someone who fits that description almost perfectly. He currently spends a lot of time in the Highland Park defense as a defensive end, but his frame and physical traits could translate very well to linebacker at the next level. He possesses a lot of athleticism while showing the ability and willingness to play around the line of scrimmage. Regardless of what position he ends up at, Todd Orlando is getting another athletic defender who can play in space, which you can never have enough of in the Big 12.

Final Verdict

Texas has made an effort to re-establish their presence in DFW this recruiting cycle, and it has paid dividends. Dorbah becomes the 4th player from DFW to commit to the Longhorns, a number that is likely to rise in the coming months. Dorbah represents another player who raises the overall talent floor of the Longhorns and gives them another potential All-Big 12 type player to develop.