Was Seahawks DT Byron Murphy II's Rookie Season Underwhelming?

Missing nearly four total games in his first season, Seattle Seahawks rookie Byron Murphy II isn't likely to be in Defensive Rookie of the Year consideration.

Connor Benintendi | 14 Hours Ago

Dec 22, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Vikings guard Dalton Risner (66) blocks Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) during the first half at Lumen Field. / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

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Seattle Seahawks

From a statistical perspective, defensive tackle Byron Murphy II’s rookie season was disappointing for a first-round pick.

Murphy finished the season with 36 tackles, two tackles for loss and half a sack. He also had just one quarterback hit, per Pro Football Reference. Murphy did miss three games due to injury, but he still played 49 percent of Seattle’s total defensive snaps — third most among the team’s interior linemen.

Of course, every player had a different role on Seattle’s defensive front with the versatility the unit had. But as the 16th overall pick and just the second defensive player selected in the draft, Murphy might not even be in the Defensive Rookie of the Year conversation.

“Production-wise, I know the sacks aren’t there … but like every time this guy’s taken a three-technique pass rush rep, that means Leonard Williams isn’t on the field,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said on Tuesday. “And right now, I think Leonard [Williams] is probably the best interior d-lineman in the game. So, what do you want to do? We have to be more creative to get him on the field, but he’ll earn those opportunities and the production will be there in the long run. I’m convinced of that. This guy’s a really good player."

Murphy finished with the third-most pressures among rookie defensive tackles (21) and tied for fifth in run stops (17), per Pro Football Focus, but he drops further down the list when first-year edge rushers are incorporated.

The Los Angeles Rams’ Braden Fiske, who was selected 23 picks after Murphy, led the rookie defensive tackle class in nearly every advanced metric.

Much of that, however, can be attributed to limited opportunities. Fiske played over 200 more snaps than Murphy this season — including almost 200 more pass-rush snaps — and played more of a pure pass-rusher role for the Rams than Murphy did with the Seahawks.

That made Murphy’s stats less eye-popping, but he remains a player Seattle’s coaching staff is excited about heading into 2025.

“I’m watching this guy do what he does at practice every day, every pass-rush rep … He does the stuff at a high level, he plays really hard, he's a great technician for being how young he is,” Macdonald added. “Just tough as nails going out there and playing the last game not 100 percent and working through it.”

Murphy arguably punched up with his numbers considering he played the sixth-most snaps among rookie defensive tackles, per PFF. Fans would be more excited if he was contending for awards, but Seattle’s talented defensive line limited his usage.

The main concern with the 22-year-old should be his durability. Murphy missed three games due to a groin injury early in the season and entered the Seahawks’ Week 18 contest with a questionable designation due to a back injury. He played only three defensive snaps before being ruled out for the game.

It’s unlikely Seattle’s defensive line looks the same next season, and Murphy’s rise may allow Macdonald and Durde to retool the group. Unless he regresses, Murphy should see a larger role in his second campaign.

“Byron Murphy II is going to be a great player in this league,” Macdonald added. “He already is a great player in this league. He’s going to have a great career, he’s in a great room so his role can skyrocket and it’ll be what he makes of it and he’ll create that. But this guy’s a three-down player, he’s done a great job.”