Texas tackle Byron Murphy poised to become latest Longhorn to star in Seattle | Golden
The Seattle Seahawks don’t often pick Texas Longhorns but when they do, the guy usually pops.
Defensive tackle Byron Murphy II will do great things in Seattle.
The Seahawks grabbed him with the 16th pick in the NFL draft and he figures to be a plug-and-play interior lineman for a defense that was tied for the fifth worst against the run last season at 4.7 yards per carry. Only one team gave up more than the 24 rushing touchdowns Seattle surrendered last season so the team addressed a problem area with one of the best tackles in the country.
At 6-foot and a couple of biscuits shy of 300 pounds, he has a similar build to Longhorn legend Casey Hampton but the man family members nicknamed "Fat Mack" will probably have to add another 15 pounds to deal with the league's largest human beings. Scouts love his quick-twitch athleticism and the toughness he shows in the trenches but is undersized for an interior player. They love his motor and effort, intangibles that are more self-driven than coach created.
Murphy is the sixth defensive lineman to go in the first round. He broke a nine-year drought since a Texas defensive lineman was taken in the first round. That was Malcom Brown who went to New England at No. 32 in 2015.
More: History says Texas' later-round picks and undrafted prospects can still thrive | Golden
“I’m a good fit for this defense because my play style is very aggressive,” he said. “I can stop the run and rush the passer, so I’m an all-three-downs type of player. That’s why I feel like I fit perfectly in their defense and in their scheme and everything.
The Horns have sent some nice talent to the Pacific Northwest in recent years. Defensive tackle Poona Ford was an integral part of the interior line for the Seahawks during his five-year stay before leaving for Buffalo.
“Seattle got a great one,” Ford posted on X shortly after the pick was announced.
Here’s one thing we know. When the Seahawks take a Longhorn, more times than not, it’s a good choice.
Current Seahawks Pro Bowl punter Michael Dickson is the career leader in average per attempt at 47.7.
Retired safety Earl Thomas, the 14th pick in the 2010 draft, was a three-time First Team All-Pro and a Super Bowl champion with the franchise. The seven-time Pro Bowler was one of the linchpins of the famed Legion of Boom defense and has Hall of Fame credentials.
Murphy said he grew up a Seahawks fan.
I really loved the Legion of Boom with (Thomas), Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, Michael Bennett, all of those guys,” he said. “Then you had all of those offensive guys. Watching them growing up, they dominated the league and won the Super Bowl and everything, so just growing up watching them, that’s all I wanted was to win a Super Bowl and win games.”
The big guys don’t always get the statistics because their job is often about being disruptive to allow linebackers to make the plays but Murphy has the type of athleticism that will make him a fan favorite and a nightmare for opposing lineman once he figures out the pro game.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Golden; Why Texas tackle Byron Murphy fills an immediate Seattle need
