 Orakpo attended the University of Texas, where he played for coach Mack Brown's Texas Longhorns football team from 2004 to 2008.He was redshirted as a freshman in 2004, but in 2005 he played in all 13 games and started in one.He made an immediate impact for the Longhorns, helping them finish 10th in the nation at defense, recording 27 tackles, a half sack, a forced fumble and recovered fumble.