SI All-American Candidate Byron Murphy II Highlights and Evaluation

Byron Murphy II is a defensive tackle prospect from DeSoto High School in DeSoto, TX. Murphy is an SI All-American candidate.

Prospect: DL Byron Murphy II  

Projected Position: Defensive Tackle 

Status: SI All-American Candidate 

Vitals: 6-foot-1, 290 pounds 

School: DeSoto (Texas) High School 

Schools of Interest: Baylor, Texas and others

Frame: Compact frame with well-defined muscle in chest and shoulders, along with trunk. Carries nearly 300 pounds very well without much room to add mass at this time. 

Athleticism: Moves very well for a big man with relative speed and quickness. Diagnoses and adjusts to running lanes well on the fly with immense power in his lower half to immediately put pressure on a blocker. Tested well to verify, including 5.0-second 40-yard dash and 4.6-second short shuttle in 2019. 

Instincts: Natural leverage with an anchor hard to move against on the inside. Power rusher with pure lower-body power often on display. Can counter with subtle quickness on the path to passer or for TFLs. Finishing power at the contact point with the ball carrier. 

Polish: Bullrush specialist with some counters in his pass-rushing arsenal, including over move, club and swim. Relies on power more than hands and overall technique to win one-on-one at this time. 

Bottom Line: Murphy has the combination of two-gapper potential and interior pass rusher on his side with his great power and natural leverage. A wide base and above-average technique against interior blockers in one-on-one situations could collapse the pocket on all three downs. Improved hand technique and lateral ability could solidify a spot in the rotation as a multi-year starter in college.