Seahawks DT Byron Murphy II Named Best Fit by ESPN

The Seattle Seahawks got one of the best defenders in the NFL Draft when they selected Byron Murphy II and it's not just the talent that has people excited.

Feb 29, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas defensive lineman Byron Murphy (DL18) works out during / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks are in a state of transition going into the 2024 season. They have a new head coach for the first time in over a decade with Mike Macdonald taking over for Pete Carroll. The offseason also saw some major changes on the roster with Bobby Wagner, Jordyn Brooks, Jamal Adams and Quandre Diggs all leaving the franchise.

The NFL Draft was spent building up the trenches with the selections of defensive tackle Byron Murphy II and guard Christian Haynes. Both players are tough as nails with a lot of core strength and should help immediately.

Texas defensive lineman Byron Murphy II / Ricardo B. Brazziell / USA TODAY NETWORK

The first selection in the Macdonald era will likely make a major impact for the Seahawks and is also a player that ESPN's Matt Bowen named one of his best fits from the 2024 NFL Draft.

New coach Mike Macdonald will scheme up Murphy as an interior force, taking advantage of his ability to generate backfield chaos against the run game and heat up the pocket as a pass-rusher. In 2023, Murphy had 35 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and five sacks while at Texas.

Look for Macdonald to get Murphy loose on interior stunts, using the talented defensive tackle's quicks off the ball while also creating one-on-one matchups out of loaded fronts. Macdonald coached defensive tackle Justin Madubuike in Baltimore last season, and Murphy has similar disruptive traits to play that role in the Seattle front as a rookie.

- Matt Bowen

The comparison to Madubuike is a really good one. He did a great job helping to elevate him to an elite level sand he was paid as such this offseason by the Baltimore Ravens. Murphy is going to be a chess piece for Macdonald to move around on the defensive line.