Is LB Kenneth Murray a Fit for the Lions?

Logan Lamorandier dives into the topic of whether or not LB Kenneth Murray is a fit for the Lions

The NFL combine wrapped up over the weekend, and the Lions met with a handful of players. 

One of those players was linebacker Kenneth Murray from Oklahoma -- who the Lions selected to participate in a formal interview. 

New to 2020, teams were only allowed to meet with 45 players formally, instead of 60 like in years past. But, instead of 15-minute interviews, teams are now allotted 18 minutes to conduct their meetings. 

Teams, by the way, can still have an "informal" interview with any player they want.

Unfortunately, for Murray, he pulled up with a minor hamstring injury on his second 40-yard dash attempt, which cut his combine short. 

Before that, he was having himself quite the day. 

Reports are that he will be able to suit up at his Pro Day to finish his agility drills, though.

With the Lions' staff obviously interested in Murray, let's take a look at how he fits into the Lions' scheme.

Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma

Height: 6-foot-2 and 4/8 inches

Weight: 241 pounds 

Arm: 32 and 6/8 inches

Wingspan: 80 inches

40-yard dash: 4.52 seconds 

Vertical: 38 inches

4.52 for Oklahoma LB Kenneth Murraypic.twitter.com/sUusP5CWDF

— PFF (@PFF) March 1, 2020

Looking at his measurements, he falls in line with a typical Matt Patricia-type linebacker -- except the fact that he is also a great athlete. 

He has the size and length required for the Lions' hybrid scheme. 

Murray could be a little on the light end of the spectrum for weight, but 241 pounds is not small by any means, either. 

Listed anywhere from 243-245 pounds while in college, Murray's weight actually falls right in line with Detroit's current starting MIKE linebacker Jarrad Davis.

Patricia likes bigger linebackers to plug holes, maintain gaps and to also have the versatility to play on the edge when needed. 

Mainly a box defender in 2019 with 669 snaps coming as an off-ball linebacker, Murray was put on the line for 120 snaps and in the slot 39 times. 

He rushed the passer on 192 occasions, accumulating 9.5 sacks in his career.

Oddly enough -- not to slight Murray in any way -- but his style of play is a lot like Davis'. 

Murray looks like he is shot out of a cannon once he is on target to the ball carrier. 

Sometimes, his angles aren't the best, and he has a propensity for being a little out of control -- which leads to missed tackles. 

Despite that issue, he is often the first one to the ball, and disrupts the play from the start. Murray is a true sideline-to-sideline type of player.

In terms of coverage, once again, Murray is much like Davis. 

The athleticism is there, but he has his fair share of struggles in space. 

Dropping back into coverage is not a strength. 

That flaw can be overlooked by Patricia, though, as safeties often are doing most of the tight end coverage. 

Against screens and short passes, Murray is one of the best at sniffing them out and blowing up the play.

Make no mistake, Murray's game is far from flawless, but his potential and positive traits are elite. 

Developing a little more consistency will be key for him in the NFL. 

Another little note: His best overall Pro Football Focus grade was a 69.8 mark in 2018. 

That is a bit concerning for a potentially high selection -- not that PFF grades are the only source of evaluation.

Often pegged as a late first-round or early second-day selection, Murray could very much be in play for the Lions at pick No. 35 -- even more so if the Lions don't pick up Davis' fifth-year option for 2021.

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