'They Will Feel Me': Seahawks DT Byron Murphy II Eager to Impress vs. Falcons

Returning from a hamstring injury, Seahawks rookie Byron Murphy II hopes to show a team that passed on him in the NFL draft that they made a mistake.

Sep 8, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) tackles Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams (33) for a loss during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

RENTON, Wash. - Before the Seattle Seahawks benefited from him falling into their laps at pick No. 16, most NFL draft pundits expected Byron Murphy II to hear his name called in the top 10 selections, with the Atlanta Falcons being a trendy choice to make him the first defender off the board.

However, the Falcons caught everyone off guard when they invested their No. 8 overall pick in Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., adding him to the mix behind veteran Kirk Cousins, who they had signed to a multi-year deal in free agency. Choosing to pass on Murphy set in motion for the standout defensive tackle to eventually fall to the Seahawks, who wasted little time submitting their selection to commissioner Roger Goodell to land their top graded defensive player from the class.

Set to return from a hamstring injury that cost him the previous three games, the first games he has ever missed due to injury at any level, Murphy certainly didn't lack confidence as he met with the media prior to Thursday's practice, making it clear this game will be personal for him as he faces Atlanta for the first time this weekend.

"They passed up on me, so that's their fault," Murphy smiled, acknowledging he had heard rumors about the Falcons drafting him. "That's a big loss for them. They will feel me on Sunday."

Before straining his hamstring in the second quarter of a Week 3 win over the Dolphins, Murphy had started to find his groove in a rotational role for the Seahawks. He recorded his first partial career sack in Foxboro against the Patriots one week prior along with seven total pressures, helping the team get off to a fast 3-0 start.

From an advanced metrics standpoint, Murphy has been one of the NFL's most efficient interior pass rushers when healthy. Per Pro Football Focus, he has posted 15.4 percent pass rush win rate, which still ranks sixth among defensive tackles with at least 45 pass rushing reps. His 28.6 percent pass rush win rate on true pass sets currently ranks second among that group as well, illustrating his overall effectiveness collapsing the pocket and harassing quarterbacks.

"The way I was playing, I felt like everything was going in the right direction," Murphy remarked. "I thought I was playing great."

Since being shelved by the injury, however, Seattle has sorely missed Murphy's presence in the interior, losing each of the past three games while allowing north of 30 points per game on defense. In particular, the team's run defense has been dramatically worse without him in the lineup, surrendering over 170 rushing yards per game in the three-game losing skid after giving up just 116 per game in the first three weeks.

Back at practice this week, Murphy hasn't had any reservations about testing his hamstring and feels great heading towards Sunday's crucial road contest at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. With him back in action and newcomer Roy Robertson-Harris, who Seattle acquired via trade from Jacksonville on Monday, also entering the fold, the team should be at full strength at the perfect time facing a potent Atlanta offense that features a dynamic rushing duo in Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier.

Though the Falcons only rank 21st in rushing so far, Robinson has averaged 4.6 yards per carry while generating a 19.2 percent missed tackle rate. Behind him, Allgeier has arguably been more impressive, currently ranking fifth among qualified running backs averaging 3.9 yards per carry after contact while forcing the same number of missed tackles (16) as Robinson on 26 fewer carries.

While quality run defense requires all 11 players to be on the same page and execute their assignments, Murphy expects to be a catalyst for immediate improvement from the Seahawks as they gear up to defend Robinson and Allgeier along with Cousins and a stellar passing attack. Toeing the line between self-assurance and cockiness with the goal of making the opposition feel drafter's remorse, he's eager to return to the field to walk the walk and play a vital role in getting his team back on the winning track.

"I definitely think I can help out a lot. That's what I do. I'm a force in the run game, also pass too. But me being there in the run game will help out a lot."

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