Tennessee Titans sign college football record holder to UDFA deal
Tennessee Titans UDFA signing Caleb Murphy holds an unbelievable NCAA record.
While every pick the Tennessee Titans made during the 2023 NFL Draft came on the offensive side of the ball, the Titans were actively addressing their defense in the undrafted free agent market.
Tennessee landed a very intriguing, high-upside prospect in Ferris State edge rusher Caleb Murphy. Despite going undrafted last weekend, Murphy has a track-record of historic production.
During his final season at Ferris State, Murphy set the NCAA single-season record for sacks with 25.5 and tied the record for tackles for loss in a single-season with 39. Murphy led Ferris State to back-to-back NCAA Division II National Championships.
You might be wondering how an edge rusher with the most dominant stat line in the history of college football could wind up going undrafted. Simply put, pro scouts had their concerns about the level of competition Murphy was up against at the Division II level.
Murphy's 4.81 was one of the slower times among edge rushers at the 2023 NFL Combine, and there is worry that he doesn't have the speed to go up against higher competition.
Even so, the numbers speak for themself, and Murphy's 2022 accolades had him in the conversation with the best defensive talents across all levels of college football. Murphy won the Ted Hendricks Award, which is given to the nation’s top defensive end (across all levels). He is the first Division-II player to ever win the award.
In an interview with Max Harden of Leader Publications, Murphy said he was surprised that his name wasn't called during the draft. “I actually thought I was going to get drafted, but I’m going to keep that chip on my shoulder,” Murphy said. “I’m very excited for the opportunity and very grateful for it. I’m excited to be a Titan.”
With a chip on his shoulder, it's now on to the next opportunity with the Titans. Murphy will look to prove himself and compete for a roster spot during minicamp later this month.
There's a lot of really intriguing upside here, and I can't wait to watch Murphy take the field at Titans camp this summer. Tennessee may have found a diamond in the rough.
