Byron Murphy II NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Seattle Seahawks DL

BR NFL Scouting DepartmentContributor IApril 26, 2024

Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

HEIGHT: 6’1″

WEIGHT: 297

HAND: 10¼”

ARM: 32⅜”

WINGSPAN: 77⅛”

40-YARD DASH: 4.87

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: N/A

VERTICAL: 33″

BROAD: 9’4″

POSITIVES

— Good build with a thick lower half and not very much bad weight.

— Quick get-off helps him get penetration right off the snap. Also has the agility to cross the guard’s face when slanting.

— Shoots his hands straight from his stance and has the upper-body strength to get extension against offensive linemen fairly easily.

— Takes on blocks with a wide base and good pad level. Hard to move one-on-one and is solid against double-teams.

— Has shown a nice swim move to escape/defeat blocks.

— Has the strength to pull the guard’s shoulder down and win as a pass-rusher with an arm over. Also has a nice rip move.

— Flashed decent push-pull and club-by moves that he can add to his arsenal in the NFL.

NEGATIVES

— Lacks the ideal height for an NFL defensive tackle and may have shorter arms.

— Stops his feet on contact, which can be an issue against double-teams from more aggressive offensive linemen and limits the effectiveness of his bull rush.

— Subpar use of hands as a pass-rusher. Needs to do a better job of working the offensive lineman’s hands to start his pass-rush moves as he lets them latch onto him.

— Has a habit of diving at feet when tackling in the backfield, which leads to misses against running backs and athletic quarterbacks.

2023 STATISTICS

— 14 G, 29 TOT, 8.5 TFL, 5.0 SK

NOTES

— Born Sept. 8, 2002

— 4-star recruit in the 2021 class, per 247Sports

— No major injuries

OVERALL

After serving as a backup during his first two years at Texas, Byron Murphy II is a big riser in this year’s NFL draft class. He played up and down the Longhorns’ defensive line, lining up as far inside as a nose tackle to taking a few reps on the edge at defensive end. He also has a lot of potential against the run and as a pass-rusher.

Murphy’s get-off and overall quickness are what pops off the tape at first, especially for his size. The 308-pounder either gets into offensive linemen shortly after the snap or uses his impressive agility and quickness to beat guards across their faces when slanting. He also has good pad level and tree trunks for legs that make him hard to move.

As a pass-rusher, the Longhorn’s best moves right now are a rip move or an arm-over. He’s shown flashes of winning with push-pull or hump-by moves, but he’s still fleshing those out and needs to be more consistent with them to be a staple in his arsenal. His bull rush is inconsistent, as his leg drive after contact could use some work.

Probably the biggest concern with Murphy is that he doesn’t have the ideal height for an NFL defensive tackle and may lack arm length. However, predraft events like the Senior Bowl and NFL combine can help confirm or deny the latter, and most of his other issues are fixable.

Schematically, he’d be best as a 3-technique in even fronts.

GRADE: 8.1 (Potential Impact Player — 2nd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 17

POSITION RANK: DL1

PRO COMPARISON: Grady Jarrett