Zachary Orr
Zachary Orr, a 2010 graduate of DeSoto High School, 2013 graduate of the University of North Texas (UNT), and a member of the Dallas ACAP Classes of 2008 and 2009, is now a member of the Baltimore Ravens Football Team.
Orr played in 46 games at UNT, posting 365 total tackles (third in school history). Orr made a career-high 123 single season tackles (fifth most in school history) and was named to the 2013 Conference USA Football All-Academic team. Orr maintained a 4.5 GPA all four years of high school and graduated number 22 in his graduating class. He graduated from UNT with a degree in kinesiology. (See bio at: http://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/roster/Zachary-Orr/2abd39eb-e424-4851-92db-ac08586a2185.)
“I didn’t know what was going to happen until the very end,” Orr said. “I just wanted to work hard each and every day and show the coaches that I could play for this team and be a part of this organization, and it worked out for the best. It’s a real special feeling,” Orr said. “When I first got here, Josh and Albert both came up to me that they were undrafted just like me, and they both didn’t leave. They just told me that if you come out and work hard every day and take it one day at a time, I could make it just like they did and the previous linebackers did.”
Orr has another special mentor as well. His father, Terry Orr, was a tight end for the Washington Redskins for eight seasons. Orr was born in Virginia, moved to Texas at age 10 and ended up playing for the University of North Texas. He became a linebacker at a young age when his father told him to “hit anything that moves.” That tenacity stuck with him, and he never left the position.
After Orr made the Ravens squad, his first call was to his father. “He was just telling me he’s very proud of me. He knows how hard I worked and how bad I wanted it,” Orr said. “I fell in love with the game of football because of him, being around it when I was younger and watching his old tapes. It’s a great feeling to follow in his footsteps and be able to make it just like he did. It was always a dream of mine since I was a little kid.”
Orr has two brothers who're also alumni of Dallas ACAP: Nicholas Orr was a member of Dallas ACAP Classes of 2011 and 2012; Chris Orr was a member of Dallas ACAP Class of 2012.
Harbaugh Praises Biggest Roster Surprise (SEPTEMBER 2, 2014 3:50:50 PM PDT By Jamison Hensley)
OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- While not many reporters or fans noticed Zachary Orr, the Baltimore Ravens were worried that other teams did. The Ravens did their best to hide Orr throughout the preseason, but they still didn't want to risk losing him if they tried to sneak him on the practice squad. So, the Ravens kept the undrafted rookie linebacker out of North Texas after the final major cut down on Saturday and they decided to waive Josh Bynes instead of Orr when they re-signed cornerback Derek Cox on Tuesday.
Asked why the Ravens gave a roster spot to Orr, coach John Harbaugh said, "He earned it." Orr and offensive tackle James Hurst are the two latest undrafted rookies to make the Ravens' season-opening 53-man roster, joining the likes of Priest Holmes, Bart Scott, Justin Tucker and Marlon Brown.
In the preseason, Orr made four tackles on defense and led the Ravens with three special-teams tackles. It should be noted that Orr was named first-team All-Conference USA for his work on the field and the Conference USA All-Academic team for his work off it.
"He's a really smart football player," Harbaugh said. "For being a young guy, he's a guy who picks up football very quickly. There are a lot of players who can physically do it in this league. But football is a complicated sport. Not to disparage any other sports, but there are a lot of processing that goes on football between the time the ball is snapped and the end of the play comes up. He's one of these guys who can understand and react on the run and do the right things. Not only that, he's physically pretty darn good."
Zachary Orr, a 2010 graduate of DeSoto High School, 2013 graduate of the University of North Texas (UNT), and a member of the Dallas ACAP Classes of 2008 and 2009, is now a member of the Baltimore Ravens Football Team.
Orr played in 46 games at UNT, posting 365 total tackles (third in school history). Orr made a career-high 123 single season tackles (fifth most in school history) and was named to the 2013 Conference USA Football All-Academic team. Orr maintained a 4.5 GPA all four years of high school and graduated number 22 in his graduating class. He graduated from UNT with a degree in kinesiology. (See bio at: http://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/roster/Zachary-Orr/2abd39eb-e424-4851-92db-ac08586a2185.)
“I didn’t know what was going to happen until the very end,” Orr said. “I just wanted to work hard each and every day and show the coaches that I could play for this team and be a part of this organization, and it worked out for the best. It’s a real special feeling,” Orr said. “When I first got here, Josh and Albert both came up to me that they were undrafted just like me, and they both didn’t leave. They just told me that if you come out and work hard every day and take it one day at a time, I could make it just like they did and the previous linebackers did.”
Orr has another special mentor as well. His father, Terry Orr, was a tight end for the Washington Redskins for eight seasons. Orr was born in Virginia, moved to Texas at age 10 and ended up playing for the University of North Texas. He became a linebacker at a young age when his father told him to “hit anything that moves.” That tenacity stuck with him, and he never left the position.
After Orr made the Ravens squad, his first call was to his father. “He was just telling me he’s very proud of me. He knows how hard I worked and how bad I wanted it,” Orr said. “I fell in love with the game of football because of him, being around it when I was younger and watching his old tapes. It’s a great feeling to follow in his footsteps and be able to make it just like he did. It was always a dream of mine since I was a little kid.”
Orr has two brothers who're also alumni of Dallas ACAP: Nicholas Orr was a member of Dallas ACAP Classes of 2011 and 2012; Chris Orr was a member of Dallas ACAP Class of 2012.
Harbaugh Praises Biggest Roster Surprise (SEPTEMBER 2, 2014 3:50:50 PM PDT By Jamison Hensley)
OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- While not many reporters or fans noticed Zachary Orr, the Baltimore Ravens were worried that other teams did. The Ravens did their best to hide Orr throughout the preseason, but they still didn't want to risk losing him if they tried to sneak him on the practice squad. So, the Ravens kept the undrafted rookie linebacker out of North Texas after the final major cut down on Saturday and they decided to waive Josh Bynes instead of Orr when they re-signed cornerback Derek Cox on Tuesday.
Asked why the Ravens gave a roster spot to Orr, coach John Harbaugh said, "He earned it." Orr and offensive tackle James Hurst are the two latest undrafted rookies to make the Ravens' season-opening 53-man roster, joining the likes of Priest Holmes, Bart Scott, Justin Tucker and Marlon Brown.
In the preseason, Orr made four tackles on defense and led the Ravens with three special-teams tackles. It should be noted that Orr was named first-team All-Conference USA for his work on the field and the Conference USA All-Academic team for his work off it.
"He's a really smart football player," Harbaugh said. "For being a young guy, he's a guy who picks up football very quickly. There are a lot of players who can physically do it in this league. But football is a complicated sport. Not to disparage any other sports, but there are a lot of processing that goes on football between the time the ball is snapped and the end of the play comes up. He's one of these guys who can understand and react on the run and do the right things. Not only that, he's physically pretty darn good."