Byron Murphy II, IDL, Texas
Size:
Height: 6’0.5”
Weight: 297 pounds
Arm Length: 32 3/8"
Hand Size: 10 1/4"
Accomplishments:
First Team Academic All-Big 12 (2022) • Big 12 Freshman of the Year Honorable Mention (2021)
“Byron Murphy II has an explosive first step which allows him to become a disruptive interior defensive lineman who makes plays behind the line of scrimmage.”
Strengths:
First-step explosiveness
High motor
Plays with good pad leverage
Concerns:
Size
Scheme/role specific
Hold the line of scrimmage against double teams
Film Analysis:
During his career at Texas, Byron Murphy II was a consistently disruptive interior defensive lineman, using his first-step explosiveness and great leverage to make plays against the run and as a pass rusher.
Against the run, Murphy uses his quickness at the snap to get into gaps and immediately get backfield penetration. This results in Murphy being able to disrupt the track of run plays, forcing running backs to have to change their path. It also allows Murphy to pursue a play backside with the opportunity to make the play. Murphy is a plus-level athlete, which is shown by his lateral agility and reactionary athleticism reacting to the flow of the offensive play.
As a pass rusher, Murphy's quickness and leverage give him advantages to create pressure on the quarterback or get a sack. Murphy does a good job of immediately getting into a gap. Because he plays with low pad height, he makes it difficult for offensive linemen to get proper hand placement on him to stop his penetration. Murphy has plus-level functional strength and can knock offensive linemen’s hands down with hand counters. Murphy is an active pass rusher who will consistently work through the duration of a play and will make plays simply by effort and retracing his steps.
Murphy's concerns as a player are based on scheme and role limitations. Because Murphy lacks ideal mass, there are moments when he will struggle to hold the point of attack against double teams. His best reps are when he is in a gap or has one-on-one blocks where he can use his functional strength to deconstruct blocks. It appears that Murphy will be best served as a 3-tech in a 4-3 scheme, because a 3-4 scheme may limit his best attributes.
Overall, Murphy is an explosive defensive lineman with a high motor who has the physical traits to make disruptive game-changing plays in the right scheme.
Prospect Projection: Day 2 — Adequate Starter
Written By: Keith Sanchez
Exposures: Alabama (2023), Baylor (2023), Oklahoma (2023), Iowa State (2023)
