Cowboys draft 2024: DT Byron Murphy II scouting report

Here is our scouting report on defensive lineman Byron Murphy II from Texas

We continue our 2024 NFL Draft review of draft prospects that could interest the Dallas Cowboys. Today we are looking at defensive tackle Byron Murphy (Texas).

Byron Murphy II
DT
Texas Longhorns
Junior
4-star recruit
Height- 6’1”
Weight- 308 lbs

History:
Byron Murphy II was a four-star recruit and received 20 offers which included Georgia and LSU. He opted to stay in-state and enrolled with Texas in 2021.

In his freshman year was a role player on the field for 321 snaps. He produced 11 pressures and two sacks as a pass rusher, and on run defense he made 15 tackles and three tackles for loss.

In 2022, Murphy played more of a role for the Longhorns, but was still playing as a rotational defender. He played on 462 snaps and collected 20 pressures and one sack on passing downs while making 26 tackles and three tackles for loss as a run defender.

In Murphy’s junior year he really came into his own. He played 501 snaps for the Longhorns and was made a starter on the defensive line. He had 45 pressures and five sacks (second-most on team in 2023). On run defense, Murphy made 29 tackles and eight tackles for loss (third-most on team in 2023). He also scored twice on offense with one rushing touchdown and one receiving touchdown from the one-yard line. At the end of the season, Murphy was named to Big 12’s first-team and was awarded Big 12’s Defensive Lineman of the Year, the first Longhorn recipient of the award since Charles Omenihu in 2018. He is also credited with playing in every game for Texas since joining the team in 2021.

2023 Statistics:
501 Total snaps
438 Defensive Snaps
45 Total Pressures
5 Sacks
21 Defensive Stops
29 Total Tackles
9 TFL
0 Penalties

NFL Combine/Pro Day:
TBD

Awards:
All-Big 12 First Team (2023)
Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year (2023)

Scorecard:
Overall- 93.8/100
Tackling- 63/100
Run Stopping- 85/100
Pass Rush- 91/100
Discipline- 99/100
Speed- 87/100
Strength-93/100
Acceleration- 87/100
Agility- 88/100

THE GOOD:

• Has one of the best explosive first-steps among the defensive linemen in this year’s draft. This is his most elite trait.
• Brings an aggressive mentality on every play.
• Shoots gaps with unbelievable timing and accuracy.
• Demands double-team blocks as he defeats one-on-one linemen too consistently.
• Clearly has high level of understanding of the oppositions play and personnel. This shows his level of commitment to watching tape.
• Has a good range of pass rush moves.
• Has consistent hand placement.
• Maintains good pad level.
• High motor player.

THE BAD:

• For the role he would be expected to play in the NFL, he’s a little undersized in height, weight and arm length.
• An odd tendency to stop his feet moving when contacted. It’s as though his feet are suddenly rooted to the spot.
• His over aggressive mentality sometimes leads him to overrun the play.
• His athletic dominance in college means he lacks technical refinement as a pass rusher.
• Not enough mass to defeat double-teams.

THE FIT:
There’s absolutely every chance that Byron Murphy goes off the board as the first defensive linemen in this year’s draft. He has the skills and versatility to play anywhere on the line from nose tackle to five-technique and be successful in the NFL. Based on just his explosiveness and strength alone, he should get instant results in his rookie season.

But Murphy does need coaching in order to get an understanding that in the NFL his power and acceleration will only take him so far. He has a solid set of pass rush moves and his swim move is by far his best tool to win now. But he needs to learn when to hold his ground and when to shoot the gaps. His biggest issue will be related to scheme. Due to his size and style of play, Murphy needs to play on an even front to offer him every chance of being hat-on-hat with an offensive lineman. He just lacks the bulk to play as defensive tackle on an odd front where he would lose the parts of his game that makes him special and get bogged down by double-team blocks.

His ability to recognize the play, establish a plan and deconstruct the opposition with his hands and explosiveness makes him an exciting player that all defensive coordinators will want to unleash. Murphy is set to have a productive career in the NFL and make a Pro Bowl early on.

COMPARISON:-
A shorter Larry Ogunjobi, Pittsburgh Steelers

GRADE:
Early second-round/late-first-round grade

CONSENSUS RANKING:
22nd
(Consensus ranking based on the average ranking from 90 major scouting services)