Field Gulls
Let’s look at the film and stats for the 2024 Seahawks first-round pick.
The Seahawks had Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon competing for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022 and 2023, respectively. When the Seahawks drafted Byron Murphy II and, given what Mike Macdonald did with the Ravens’ DL, the former Longhorn was expected to be a top contender for the award.
If you think about it with that high expectation, his rookie season it might sound like a disappointment. However, Murphy missed games due to injury and that impacted his rookie season. But when he returns to the team, he’s been a key part of improving the run game. Plus, he’s left hope for a much better second year in the pass rush, in terms of numbers.
He was sixth in Defense Grade (58.2) and Rush Defense (54) among DTs. He was fourth in Pass Rush Grade (64.5), with 23 pressures, the third-most among rookies. He trailed only his former teammate, T’Vondre Sweat, with 23, and Braden Fiske, who had an incredible 51 (plus 9 sacks). He was fifth in Run Stops with 17, trailing Johnny Newton, Jonah Laulu, and, again, T’Vondre Sweat and Braden Fiske. He missed just 2 tackles, being the rookie DT with the fewest misses behind Evan Anderson and Elijah Chatman, who didn’t miss any. Murphy finished the season with 36 tackles, two tackles for loss, and half a sack. He also managed just one hit on the quarterback, according to Pro Football Reference.
Murphy missed three games with a groin injury early in the season. In addition to those three full games, Murphy left early against the Miami Dolphins in Week 3 after playing 12 snaps, and in Week 18 he entered the game as questionable with a back injury, playing only three defensive snaps. He still played 49% of Seattle’s total defensive snaps — the third-most among the team’s interior defensive linemen.
He had one snap on offense and received a 60 block grade from PFF for that play. For those unaware, Murphy lined up as a FB on a few snaps in college and has one receiving TD and one rushing TD.
He’s very fast and has a good ability to chase the QB or RB. He blows past the EDGE and forces the QB to throw the ball away.
He’s very explosive and escapes the initial block. James Conner runs out of his gap and Murphy goes after him. The Seahawks defense gives Murphy time to get there and make the tackle.
He is very quick coming off the snap and using the swim move to get out of the center’s block. With that, he is able to find his former teammate in Texas, Bijan Robinson, to make the tackle.
It is a challenge to block him with a reach block. He anticipates and escapes the block. Then he moves very quickly to find Antonio Gibson.
