Seattle Seahawks 90-Man Roundup: Will Rookie Byron Murphy II Emerge as Elite DL?

Seahawks general manager John Schneider viewed Byron Murphy II as the best defensive player in the 2024 NFL Draft. Can he meet expectations in year one?

Connor Benintendi | Jul 12, 2024

Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Byron Murphy II (90) celebrates sacking Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht (3) during the game at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2023 in Ames, Iowa. / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman /

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Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in less than a month, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.

In preparation for the new incoming season, we’ll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best and worst case scenarios and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.

Viewed as the best defensive player in the 2024 NFL Draft by Seahawks general manager John Schneider, will defensive lineman Byron Murphy II live up to lofty expectations as a rookie?

Background

A four-star prospect out of DeSoto High School in Texas, Murphy stayed close to home and signed with Texas as part of the 2021 recruiting class. Murphy played in all 12 games for the Longhorns as a true freshman, logging 15 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. He played in 13 games as a sophomore but was slightly less disruptive, recording 26 total tackles, three tackles for loss and one sack. Murphy broke out in his third and final season at Texas, exploding for 29 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks — earning All-American honors and the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year award. Additionally, his athleticism and offensive background in high school saw him used as a gadget player on offense, notching one rushing and one receiving touchdown in his college career. Seattle selected Murphy with the 16th overall pick in the draft, making him just the second defensive player drafted behind Indianapolis' Laiatu Latu out of UCLA.

Scheme Fit

Murphy has the perfect blend of size and athleticism at the defensive tackle position that allows him to play anywhere on Seattle’s defensive front. At 6-0, 306 pounds, Murphy has similar measurables and build to Rams future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald, and he has been compared to the legendary defensive tackle. Even though he saw little snaps rushing from outside the tackles in college, Murphy possesses the versatility head coach Mike Macdonald desires.

Best Case Scenario

As a game-ready rookie from Week 1, Murphy earns a large role in Seattle’s defensive rotation immediately and his reputation of disrupting plays in the backfield speaks for itself. Murphy displays his elite pass-rushing and run-stuffing abilities and finishes the season with double-digit tackles for loss and more than five sacks as an interior pass rusher. He wins the Defensive Rookie of the Year award — avenging cornerback Devon Witherspoon’s third-place finish in 2023.

Worst Case Scenario

Potentially adding to Seattle’s recent list of poor early-round defensive lineman draft picks (i.e. Malik McDowell, LJ Collier), Murphy’s skill set doesn’t translate to the NFL as well as expected. Whereas his size was viewed as a potential upside, primarily because of his added athleticism, it hinders his ability to overpower NFL offensive linemen and disrupt plays in the backfield like he did at Texas. Remaining in a reserve rotational role during the season, questions swirl about Murphy’s NFL ceiling heading into 2025.

What to Expect in 2024

Go ahead and throw the worst case scenario out the window. Murphy has a different presence and apparent work ethic than either of the previous draft “busts” Seattle has selected over the past several years, and his ability to match offensive linemen’s strength should be a non-issue. It will be much easier to gauge how special Murphy truly is once the pads come on in training camp, but he looks the part and certainly passes the eye test as a physical freak. Defensive Rookie of the Year is more than an attainable goal for the 21-year-old.

North of five sacks and double-digit tackles for loss would be an outstanding rookie season for Murphy, especially if he remains working mostly from the interior. In college, Murphy only took 21 snaps over or outside the offensive tackle, per Pro Football Focus, but that’s a possibility in Macdonald’s 3-4 scheme. It likely won’t be a frequent occurrence given Seattle’s current stable of edge rushers, but we know Macdonald likes to maximize the versatility of his defensive front and throw curveballs at opponents. Though slightly different physically, Murphy may fill the do-everything role that Justin Madubuike assumed last season with Macdonald in Baltimore. However, as a unique defensive lineman prospect, Murphy doesn’t need to be Donald or Madubuike — he needs to be Byron Murphy.

Previous 90-Man Roundups

Published Jul 12, 2024|Modified Jul 12, 2024

CONNOR BENINTENDI