It’s not a coincidence that Texas Longhorn football rose back to prominence when they built the trenches. The veteran offensive line and T’vondre Sweat got the most hype, but only one caught my eye. Byron Murphy was a former four-star recruit from the prestigious Desoto High School with a tremendous upside. Murphy was a mere role player for his first two years, but in 2023, he became a full-time force. The AP second-team all-American amassed 29 tackles, eight and a half tackles for loss, and five sacks. Murphy’s explosiveness, power, and quickness earned him Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year and All-Big 12 first-team selection. However, has it made him a first-round grade? Let’s Dig into the film!
Byron Murphy II NFL Draft Overview
Position: Defensive Tackle
Height: 6’1 (Unofficial)
Weight: 308 lbs (Unofficial)
Age: 21 years old
School: Texas
Byron Murphy II Player Evaluation
Murphy’s Strengths
- Elite first-step explosiveness with elite quickness to penetrate as soon as the ball is snapped.
- Strike first mentality with his hands. He immediately shoots hands with good hand placement on the offensive lineman. Good stack and shed ability.
- He plays with a good pad level.
- He explodes low when taking on double teams and easily defeats one-on-one blocks.
- Has a developed swim move and rip move. Shows flashes of push-pull strength and club. Timing, consistency, and more reps are critical.
Murphy’s Weakness
- Short for the position. Lacks ideal NFL height. His arm length is short.
- He has an odd habit of randomly stopping his feet when contacted by offensive linemen vs. the run. NFL offensive linemen will punish him.
- Work in progress as a pass rusher. Hand usage and pass rush setup need to be more refined. Bulrush is good, but he stops his feet sometimes, limiting his power.
- It can be too over-aggressive when penetrating the backfield.
Projection: Late First to Early Second Round Pick
NFL Comparison: Grady Jarrett
Best Fits: Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, and the Detroit Lions
Bottom Line
Byron Murphy is an uber-talented Defensive Lineman who can play zero technique to five technique at a high level. The former Longhorn has the strength, the motor, and the explosiveness to be a day-one impact and future star potential. Murphy would perform best in an even front-one gap defensive scheme. This would allow him to use his physical gifts to attack, penetrate, and wreak havoc.
My NFL pro comparison was Atlanta Falcons, Grady Jarrett. He is an explosive, penetrating defensive lineman who can play up and down the line of scrimmage; both are incredibly strong and fast for their size, with excellent motor skills. Both are short for the position but make up for it with ferocious play.
My best team fits for Murphy were the Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, and Detroit Lions. All three teams use their defensive lines to attack to cause havoc in the backfield. All three teams also need a high-potential three-technique player.
Main Image: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
