Why this TCU football player deserves to be an All-American
TCU linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr is a man of few words.
His play does the talking for him, and the senior was voted a first-team All-Big 12 selection after leading the conference in tackles with 119.
In many ways, Elarms-Orr is the perfect representation of the modern linebacker that’s suited to combat the rise of the spread offenses.
He’s lighter (6-foot-2, 230 pounds) than some of his predecessors at the position from 10 to 15 years ago, but he’s faster, more agile and still able to bring a good dose of physicality and power when he wraps a ball carrier up. Most importantly, Elarms-Orr is productive and a football savant who is the quarterback of the defense.
“He’s productive as any player in college football. What makes you a good player is that you produce,” TCU head coach Sonny Dykes said last month. “His numbers are going to be as good as anybody. He’s a great leader. He doesn’t say a word, he’s a guy that just works hard all week. I would put his production up against anybody. His impact on our defense has been substantial.”
Just how impressive was Elarms-Orr this season? Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez has been viewed as the nation’s best at the position, and he had 15 fewer tackles in the regular season and three fewer sacks than Elarms-Orr.
Elarms-Orr already has one all-star honor from the Big 12, but it shouldn’t be his only one. With his production, Elarms-Orr deserves to be an All-American. The team is expected to be released next week.
Elarms-Orr’s rise to become one of the country’s best linebackers starts with his mental approach.
Waiting for his moment
It’s Nov. 22, and the Horned Frogs have survived a late rally by Houston to win 17-14 on the road against a ranked opponent.
Elarms-Orr had arguably his best game of the season with 15 tackles and a season-high 10 solo stops to help keep the Cougars at bay. For many players, it would’ve been a chance to hype themselves up, but Elarms-Orr was already shifting his focus to the regular-season finale against Cincinnati.
“I’ll be honest, I haven’t even paid attention to the season I’ve been having,” Elarms-Orr said. “I’ve just been trying to stay in the present moment and not focus on the statistics as much. I’m just taking it one play at a time, do my job and just strain every play. I know the rest will take care of itself. I know what the stats are, I know what the numbers are, but I’m just trying to get wins.”
That answer provided a window into what separates the good players from the great in college football. The biggest thing that allowed Elarms-Orr to stay in the moment was the past success he had at California.
Elarms-Orr was an All-Pac 12 selection in 2023 when the league had eventual NFL first-round quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Bo Nix and Michael Penix throwing the ball over the field. And Elarms-Orr went toe-to-toe with some of those high-level offenses.
When he arrived in Fort Worth ahead of the 2024 season, he thought he would have similar success, but he had to wait his turn behind Johnny Hodges and Namdi Obiazor. It wasn’t easy, but it only made him stronger mentally.
“I definitely had to work on mental toughness, I came in and thought I was going to be that main guy,” Elarms-Orr said in February. “That wasn’t the case, but I kept working and kept pushing and making the most of my opportunities when I got in the game [in 2024]. This year I’m trying to be that guy and take charge of the defense.”
Elarms-Orr accomplished that goal and then some with the season he had for the Horned Frogs. He played the most snaps of any linebacker in a Power Four conference.
Now that the season is over, Elarms-Orr finally had a chance to take in the success he had.
“It has kind of hit me a little bit, but at the same time I thought there was room for improvement,” Elarms-Orr said Wednesday. “I know I had a pretty good season, but I know it could’ve been better for sure.”
The constant need to grow and self-evaluate is just another reason Elarms-Orr has been so successful in his career, and it could lead to a lengthy career in the pros.
Preparing like a pro
So what’s the secret to Elarms-Orr’s success? He has all the physical tools needed and also plays in a scheme led by defensive coordinator Andy Avalos that allows him to make all the plays he made this season.
But the true secret is how he approaches each game, starting on Sundays.
“Kaleb Elarms-Orr is already a professional. He prepares like a NFL player,” linebackers coach Ken Wilson said. “He’s very intentional about how he prepares. He’s always got his iPad with him. He’s always here in the afternoon watching practice and getting ready for the next day. He’ll meet you in the morning with Starbucks ready to get prepared for practice.”
As gifted as Elarms-Orr is, he understands he just can’t roll out of bed and expect to get a dozen tackles in a game off pure talent.
It’s a weeklong process to prepare mentally and physically to perform the way he did, and it’s often those little things that go under the radar when talking about what makes a player great.
“I’m very detailed with my routine. I eat the same things every day throughout the season,” Elarms-Orr said. “If I have a good game and I did something different, then I’ll stick with it. I watch probably two hours of film on the opponent Monday to Thursday outside of the facility just to get ready. Being a [middle] linebacker, the quarterback of the defense, you have to be very prepared to attack the offensive scheme and tendencies.
“I do a lot of recovery. I had the most snaps by a P4 linebacker, so I really took care of my body with the cold tub, hot tub, massages, red light therapy, and I watch film with Coach Wilson twice a week just to pick his brain.”
Elarms-Orr was highly recruited coming out of the Bay Area, rated a four-star recruit by 247Sports, and had offers from most of the Pac-12.
Despite his early accolades, his father made sure to instill in him that hard work always beats talent. It’s an approach that’s stuck with him and played a big part in his success.
“My dad just told me when I was younger that I was very athletic and very gifted,” Elarms-Orr said. “He also said if you put in the work like you aren’t and just keep working every day and have that chip on your shoulder like you aren’t fortunate or blessed like other people are, it’s going to make you better.”
Elarms-Orr has the hunger of a one-star recruit in the body of a certified NFL prospect, which made him a lethal playmaker against opposing offenses this season.
That mindset and production are also what should make him an All-American.
This story was originally published December 9, 2025 at 4:15 AM.
