One of the top performers at this year’s Scouting Combine, TCU linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr is well prepared for his upcoming NFL career.
In 2025, Elarms-Orr led the Big 12 with 70 assisted tackles, finishing the year with 130 total tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, and four sacks. He placed fourth among 395 qualified linebackers with an 85.7 PFSN LB Impact Score. He added to his stellar season with the Horned Frogs with a Senior Bowl appearance and a Combine, which saw him finish among the top performers at the linebacker position.
One-on-One With TCU LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr
Leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft, PFSN spoke exclusively with Elarms-Orr about his preparation going into his career year, his pre-draft process, his passion for trying different cuisines, and more.
JI: You played well at Cal and turned it up to another level this season at TCU. What went into your preparation for this season?
KE: There were a lot of things I was focusing on. I’d probably say number one, aside from the game, is just staying healthy. My last year, my senior season, I wanted to be available as much as possible to help contribute to my team.
I would definitely say staying healthy, having a set routine of different recovery [exercises] I do every day, different treatment and stretching routine massages, all the different things that go into keeping my body fresh and ready to go for the next game. Another thing I’d probably say is film study. Film study is a big thing that I believe in.
I was watching in the offseason, a lot of NFL tape on different ‘backers and how they move, how they might fit the run or blitz or play against the pass, just different things like that. During the season, definitely my preparation and film study, studying opponents. I definitely put a lot more time into that, or just a lot of time in general, studying opponents’ tendencies and finding out different ways that could help me play faster and to play ahead of the snap in games this year.
JI: You’ve had a very busy pre-draft process between the Combine and the Senior Bowl. What were those experiences like?
KE: Those were definitely good experiences, being able to compete against the best of the best, and being able to compete day in and day out. The big thing for me was competition, honestly. I wanted to compete with the best to see if I am one of the best. I feel like both of those experiences went well. [I was] trusting in my training, my technique, trusting in God, and honestly, trying to make a name for myself.
I always feel like I have a chip on my shoulder. In high school, [being not] the most highly-recruited guy, and then in college, I feel like being at TCU, I was definitely a little overlooked. I’m always carrying that wherever I go, and trying to outwork everybody and compete with the best.
JI: You performed really well at the Combine. Did you go into that week with any benchmarks you wanted to meet in testing?
KE: Not necessarily. I mean, I knew I didn’t want to go in thinking about a specific number or a specific goal. I feel like, once you start to force things, you start to strain and do a little too much. All throughout training, coaches were telling me, “smooth is fast, and the more relaxed you are in all the drills, the better it’s going to look on tape, and the better the number is going to be”. So my biggest thing was staying relaxed and trusting the training I was going through the last two months.
Kaleb Elarms-Orr is a LB prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.92 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 26 out of 3215 LB from 1987 to 2026.
Splits projected, all times unofficial, agilities left to run, bench tomorrow.https://t.co/suqlLrnkrR pic.twitter.com/AjzNOLVl3x
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) February 27, 2026
JI: I wanna run through your pre-snap approach. What are the first things you’re looking at before the snap, then as soon as you diagnose if it’s a pass or a run, what’s running through your mind?
KE: Before the ball snapped, I look at the guard-center-guard, usually the linemen in front of me. My alignment might be more outside, looking at the tackle or tight end. Those alignments are going to tell me what run play it specifically is. Usually for me, a lot of guys can’t really do this, but I know that I’m fast and athletic enough to not be late, but I like to take a real quick snapshot.
As soon as I see the run or the play, I take a quick snapshot, like I look at it real quick, and then I read and react at that point. If it’s a game plan thing, some teams might send the back out one way, but then the run flow is going the other way. Sometimes I might have to look into the backfield for what specific run play it’s going to be, but most of the times, I look at the alignment, and as soon as the ball snaps, I’m taking my quick snapshot. Say it’s power to the left. Okay.
Now, depending on the call, I’m reading and reacting and fitting the run. How I look at it against the run is, I don’t like when running backs or ball carriers get any extra yardage, so I’m trying to knock everything backwards and make everything a negative play for the offense, and limit them to the least amount of yards as possible.
JI: How do you like to spend your free time outside of football?
KE: I just relax, chill. I occasionally play video games, usually in the offseason, not really during the season. I’m a big foodie guy, so I love trying new spots like hole-in-the-wall, fine dining. If it’s good food, I’m gonna try it. I love eating good food, whether that’s with family or friends or whatever.
I also have a dog, a one-year-old Frenchie named Blitz, that I just got before this past season, and he’s great. He’s currently in California right now, just because I’ve been all over the place with traveling and this whole process. But he’s great, and I can’t wait to be back with him wherever I get drafted, for sure.
JI: Tell me about one really good meal that you’ve had recently.
KE: I would say a recent meal that I had was from a spot called Bohanan’s.
It was in San Antonio. It was a steakhouse, and their steaks are mesquite-grilled. It was fire. Me and my girlfriend [went], because she came out [when] we were down in San Antonio for the Alamo Bowl. This was like a couple months ago, like two months ago.
They had an amazing wagyu rib eye that I loved, and lobster creamed corn. That was fire. We got some asparagus, we got some salad, and it was good. I think I went two or three days before the game, so I think that definitely helped me play good in that game, for sure.
JI: Let’s say I’m an NFL general manager. What would I be getting if I drafted you to my team?
KE: You draft me to your team, you get a guy who’s consistent. I show up the same guy every day. A big thing I trust in is I don’t like getting too high or too low. I always like staying in the present moment and focusing on what’s that ahead for that day. I feel like, if you do that and you can just put 100% into what you do, then things are going to go well for you. I stay consistent. I work very hard. I love to outwork people. I love to compete: a true competitor.
I don’t really say much when I’m at work or in the facility or whatever, but I like to let my play be known by what I do on the field, and how I execute in my pads. You’re getting a guy that works very hard, and in everything I do, I try to work myself to exhaustion, because if I do it now, it’s going to show up in the game and in the fourth quarter when it really matters.
