Myles Murphy (DE) – Clemson / Junior
6’5” / 275 lbs (Unofficial)
2022 Stats: 13 games, 22 solo tackles, 18 assisted tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 8 QB hits, 5 QB hurries, 2 passes defended, 1 forced fumble
{Reference: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/myles-murphy-1.html}
Awards:
- First Team All-ACC (2022)
- Second Team All-ACC (2021)
Measurables: (AVAILABLE POST COMBINE/PRO DAY)
Games Watched: 2022 @ Florida State; 2022 @ Notre Dame; 2022 North Carolina (Bowl game)
PRO’S
Myles Murphy is a 4-3 DE who gets pressure on the QB pretty consistently and is versatile – he’ll mostly play DE but you can move him inside as well on 3rd down and obvious passing plays to bring more pressure against the QB. He’s a big man, and he is very athletic for a big man. He’s surprisingly both quick and fast for a big man, and he can beat the OL with either power or speed. Long arms and good hand placement make it difficult for the OL to gain leverage on him. Murphy handles double-teams very well with his explosiveness and twist, which helps him succeed when shifted to the interior.
Regarding his run defense, I would not say he is great in this area but he is solid, and I believe he can get much better in the NFL with experience and coaching. He has the athleticism and speed to set the edge, and the power to shut down lanes on the inside. Murphy does need to strengthen his tackling as he seems to not finish them enough as he should.
From what I’ve read, Myles Murphy is a high-end character as well, and he was a very consistent producer in his 3 years at Clemson.
CON’S
Murphy could stand to improve his arsenal of pass rushing skills to reach his full potential in the NFL. Which is understandable considering that the vast majority of NCAA draftees need to grow in the NFL. He gets caught playing with a higher pad level too, but again this is correctable.
OVERALL
Myles Murphy should be a top half of the 1st round pick. A team will get a player with great traits for a versatile 4-3 DE, with even more upside with some proper grooming. I would not be shocked if he went top-10, given the weakness of the offensive linemen in this class as well as the WRs not being particularly top heavy (compared to the previous few classes). There’s a chance that Murphy does not wind up being a stud household name at DE, but I think his floor is good/solid DE with his versatility really upping his value in an unsung way.
Completed by: @JoeJ_Clark, 01/08/23
