NFL Draft: Clemson DE Myles Murphy 'Dream Target' For Falcons?

The Atlanta Falcons need to address the pass rush in this year's draft. Could they do so with Clemson defensive end Myles Murphy?

Jeremy Brener | Feb 26, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons placed second-to-last in sacks this past season, which means the team should be expected to target more pass rushers through free agency and the draft this offseason.

With the No. 8 overall pick in the draft and several pass rushers worthy of a top pick, the Falcons may look to address the position to kick off their rookie class.

Bleacher Report identified Clemson defensive end Myles Murphy as the "dream target" for the Falcons in this year's draft.

"Sit back and watch an edge-rusher fall, Atlanta," Bleacher Report writes. "While the rest of the league talks about Anderson, Carter and quarterbacks, the Falcons are positioned nicely to snag a disruptive player—which they certainly need. Only the Bears (20) had fewer sacks than Atlanta (21) last season. Myles Murphy notched 36.5 tackles for loss with 17.5 sacks in three seasons at Clemson."

Murphy would be a player the Falcons could insert in the starting lineup immediately and help boost the pass rush. But if the Falcons are going to fix the position, it's going to take more than just Murphy.

The Falcons should be expected to draft multiple players at the position (or at least invest in an undrafted free agent as well) while signing a veteran or two to help out. On top of that, second-year players Arnold Ebiketie and DeAngelo Malone will be expected to take on larger roles.

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Published Feb 26, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.