Seahawks' Boye Mafe explains why Byron Murphy II is in great spot to immediately live up to draft status
The Seattle Seahawks were one of the main beneficiaries of the run on quarterbacks and offensive players in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft Seattle saw Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, the consensus top player in the draft at the position, fall into their lap with the 16th overall pick. Murphy will […]
The Seattle Seahawks were one of the main beneficiaries of the run on quarterbacks and offensive players in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft
Seattle saw Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, the consensus top player in the draft at the position, fall into their lap with the 16th overall pick.
Murphy will be under immediate pressure to vindicate his status as the second defensive player off the board by producing for a Seattle defense that was one of the worst in the NFL last season.
In landing in Seattle, he joined a defense transitioning to a complex scheme, with former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald replacing longtime head coach Pete Carroll after the Seahawks missed the playoffs in 2023. The learning curve could well be exacerbated by the change of MacDonald's system, and there are likely to be doubts about a player whose career-high sack total in college was five in 2023.
But, according to Pro Football Focus, Murphy's 45 pressures last year were the second-most among interior defensive linemen eligible for the 2024 draft, and he has already made an impression on at least one teammate.
Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe, speaking recently on the 'Green Light' podcast with former NFL defensive end Chris Long, explained why he believes the former Longhorn is in an excellent spot to live up to the hype.
"I saw him at OTAs, I'm excited," Mafe said. "He's strong, he's quick, he has the size. I can't wait to play with him, along with the guys we have in the room.
"For him, honestly, it's a perfect situation. He's coming in with eight, nine, 10-year vets that know the game that are playing his position.
"So he's getting the knowledge of 10-year vets, so honestly for him it's like the best situation, and the defense that we're playing, it's going to be fun."
Mafe is correct in that Murphy will have a lot of experienced veterans to lean on. Jonathan Hankins has been in the league since 2013, Leonard Williams was a first-round pick back in 2015 and Jarran Reed was a second-round selection by the Seahawks in 2016.
The point about the defense relates to MacDonald's scheme, which thrives on using disguised coverages and creative blitzes to get quarterbacks uncomfortable. If the Seahawks are able to transition quickly to the new system and force quarterbacks to hold the ball longer, that should help Murphy hit the ground running and put up the numbers his draft position demands.
Most importantly, Murphy will likely see a high number of one on ones due to the talent the Seahawks possess and the creativity of the scheme, which maximizes the versatility of its players.
Murphy's fellow defensive lineman Dre'Mont Jones is a case in point. Jones, having impressed off the edge during the second half of last season, will play some outside linebacker as well as interior defensive line in 2024.
Jones' new role should allow Murphy to get on the field often as a rotational pass rusher even if he isn't listed as a starter. Fronts where Jones is able to be on the field at the same time as both Murphy and Williams figure to create havoc for opposing offenses, and that's before taking into account the attention Uchenna Nwosu, Mafe and Darrell Taylor could command when deployed off the edge. All three of that trio have at one season with nine sacks over the course of the last two years.
With the scheme and the surrounding talent, Murphy does indeed have a lot on his side as he looks to prove he can be a premier interior pass rusher at the highest level. Doing so will involve taking full advantage of the sounding boards he has in the likes of Williams, Reed and Hankins.
The Seahawks do appear to have the right environment for a successful rookie season for Murphy. If he delivers it, their defense is unlikely to be languishing near the bottom of the league for much longer.
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