Texas' Byron Murphy II Declares for 2024 NFL Draft After Sugar Bowl Loss
Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRT
Featured Columnist IVJanuary 4, 2024
Texas Longhorns star defensive tackle Byron Murphy II told ESPN's Pete Thamel on Thursday that he is foregoing his senior season and declaring eligible for the 2024 NFL draft.
Pete Thamel @PeteThamelTexas star defensive lineman Byron Murphy II tells ESPN that he's leaving school for the NFL Draft. Murphy earned first-team All-Big 12 honors this year and led the country in quarterback pressures per snap by an interior lineman. <a href="https://t.co/6ebGM5DSho">pic.twitter.com/6ebGM5DSho</a>
Murphy is considered the No. 51 overall prospect by the B/R NFL Scouting Department and the No. 4 overall defensive lineman.
Murphy appeared in 20 games for Texas between his freshman and sophomore seasons but emerged in a major way in 2023, totaling 29 tackles (8.5 for loss) and five sacks from the interior of the Longhorns' defensive line.
He's shown versatility, as B/R's Matt Holder noted, playing everywhere on the line from nose tackle to defensive end. Holder compared him to Grady Jarrett, noting that his "get-off and overall quickness are what pops off the tape at first, especially for his size," but adding that "the biggest concern with Murphy is that he doesn't have the ideal height for an NFL defensive tackle and may lack arm length."
Still, his strong 2023 campaign has probably done enough to move him into the conversation for a day-two draft pick, either late in the second round or somewhere in the third.
The interior of the Texas line was its strength on the defensive side of the ball this season, with Murphy and T'Vondre Sweat leading the way.
Devin Jackson @RealD_JacksonHis performance might got lost in the shuffle but <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texas?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Texas</a> DT Byron Murphy II was outstanding last night.<br><br>The stats don't do him justice, had a handful of pressures, some impactful run stops, pushing the interior pocket. His activity forced Washington to attack the perimeter. <a href="https://t.co/Sf4Z5D5ANx">pic.twitter.com/Sf4Z5D5ANx</a>
"Sweat is one of the biggest dudes I've ever played," a long-time Big 12 offensive line coach told The Athletic's Bruce Feldman before the Sugar Bowl. "(Murphy) is different. He was one of the hardest guys to block we've faced. He's actually more of a problem. I'd rather play against (Sweat) than (Murphy). Texas is so strong up the middle with the defensive tackles and (linebacker Jaylan Ford)."
"Murphy plays nasty and with leverage," a Big 12 defensive line coach added.
Suffice to say, Sundays are in Murphy's future, and his decision on Thursday wasn't much of a surprise. He figures to be an impactful player at the next level.
