The Seattle Seahawks clearly landed an amazing prospect in Byron Murphy II. John Schneider made it clear on draft night how much the team loved Murphy, but since NFL Rookie Minicamp began this weekend it's clear those reasons run far beyond just his on-field play.
Murphy kicked things off this weekend reminding everyone that he was actually a Seahawks fan as a kid in Texas, naming several of his favorite "Legion of Boom" defenders like Kam Chancellor, Bobby Wagner, and Richard Sherman, surely endearing himself to fans. But that wasn't all. He also made it clear that he already "loves" coach Mike Macdonald among others. Here's one of his first reps with Seahawks coaches in the post below:
While the Seahawks weren't running many things at full speed or with a ton of contact at rookie minicamp Byron Murphy was impressive throughout his first practices. And not just because of how he moved, but for how he looked. Mike Sando of The Athletic summed it up nicely in his post (below) Saturday. At 6'1", 297 pounds Murphy might be a bit "undersized" compared to some thicker interior defensive lineman, but he certainly doesn't look like it. And he definitely doesn't skip leg day.
But what really stood out from Murphy's first weekend were his surprising comments on what he looks to improve upon in the NFL. He apparently wants to get even better at finishing his pass rush snaps so he can wrap up more sacks at the next level.
That comes as a surprise because Byron Murphy was the single most impressive pass rushing defensive tackle in the draft class, and it wasn't close. Murphy's 17% pass rush pressure rate with the Texas Longhorns was elite even for edge rushers in the 2024 NFL Draft class. However, he has a bit of a point given that he only converted all those pressures into just five sacks last season. If Murphy does improve on his finishing there's a chance he immediately becomes one of the most productive defensive lineman in the entire NFL.
Either way, it's already clear that Murphy is a great fit in Seattle. A fan since he was a kid. Plugging in well with the coaching staff. And he's still looking to improve in one of his greatest areas of strength. Murphy is exactly the kind of player the Seahawks can build a strong future around.
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