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Indianapolis • Nate Orchard's focus was clear, but his memory temporarily failed him as he considered the reason NFL teams covet players who possess his particular skill set.

That skill set would be to harass quarterbacks. Chase them, put them on the ground, render them ineffective.

"Sacks win games at the end of the day," the former Utah pass-rush standout said Friday during a break at the NFL scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. "That's what teams are going to bring me in for."

Orchard's mind searched for the proper phrase and its author.

"The snake, cut off the head of the snake," he said. "Who said that?"

He paused, looking for assistance.

Finally, a bystander offered, "Deacon Jones."

"That's right, Deacon Jones," Orchard said, smile widening.

Jones coined the phrase while building a Hall of Fame career that saw him dominate offensive linemen with head slaps and terrorize quarterbacks with sacks before they became an official statistic.

"The quarterback is the head of the team," Jones often explained. "To kill the snake, you got to cut off its head."

While it's wildly premature to link Deacon Jones and Nate Orchard, they are kindred spirits.

The NFL instituted the Deacon Jones Award in 2013 to recognize the league's sack champion. In 2014, Orchard set Utah's sack record, piling up 18.5. Nationally, only Washington linebacker Hau'oli Kikaha had more, with 19. Orchard was the Ted Hendricks Award winner, given to the nation's top defensive end.

It remains to be seen whether NFL scouts consider Orchard a 4-3 defensive end or a 3-4 outside linebacker. He measured 6-foot-3 and weighed 250 pounds at the combine, but he plans to bulk up to about 260 for his March 26 Pro Day.

"I've had my hand on the ground (as a 4-3 end) for the last 10 years, so I think that's probably where I'm most comfortable," he said. "But a transition to outside linebacker wouldn't be a problem. I've been dropping into coverage a lot. It's something I'm used to."

ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. projects Orchard as an outside linebacker. He ranks him No. 4 at the position behind Clemson's Vic Beasley, Washington's Shaq Thompson and Kentucky's Bud Dupree.

"I thought Orchard had a good week in Mobile [Ala., at the Senior Bowl], and looks like a guy who is ready to help a team right away," Kiper wrote.

More than ever, the NFL is a quarterback-driven, pass-heavy venture. The surest way to counter that is by fielding quality pass rushers.

"I was always brought up with if you have 12 pass rushers, give me 13," said Indianapolis Colts general manager Ryan Grigson. "You can never have enough pass rushers. That's Scouting 101.

"The hard part is actually finding them and finding ones that are clean and really good. Clean, I mean they don't have any off-the-field issues. They don't have any warts."

Orchard plans to go through all of the on-field workouts with the defensive ends and outside linebackers Sunday. He's already met "with a good majority of the assistant coaches from each team. I got most of them in."

The combine is the next step in Orchard's progression. After his record-breaking senior season — he had 84 tackles, three forced fumbles and three defended passes to go along with his 18.5 sacks — he put together a solid performance in the Senior Bowl. At the Senior Bowl and in Utah's 45-10 win over Colorado State in the Las Vegas Bowl, Orchard dealt with Ty Sambrailo. The Rams' left tackle is considered one of the better prospects at his position in this year's draft.

"Going against the best only makes you better," Orchard said. "He's a great tackle. Made him better, made me better. It was just good competition all the way around."

Orchard is confident his prolific final season at Utah will carry over to the NFL. He's eager to start providing financial security for his wife, Maegan, and 1-year-old daughter, Katherine.

"I'm married, got a little girl," he said. "I'm doing things the right way. Just taking care of my family is my main priority.

"I'm ready to be the best at the next level."

Twitter: @mchappell51