They say confidence is key, and confidence is a feeling Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II has no shortage of. Murphy is a prospect for the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft and has a solid prediction of when he will be selected, based on what he says. heard.
“I heard I won’t go after 4 p.m.,” Murphy said (via Dallas Morning News).
He continued, adding, “With my style of play, I feel like no one can play like me. No one can do the things that I do. I feel like I’m one of a kind . My tape speaks for itself.”
CBS Sports’ mock drafts have him selected between No. 17 and No. 23 overall, but note he could go sooner. There are 32 selections in the first round, so anywhere from 17th and after that places him in the second half of the first day. If they indicate where he will go, he might be disappointed to be picked later than expected. Mock versions describe Murphy as a “long-armed, stocky, explosive” defensive tackle.
Murphy has the fourth-best odds to be the first defensive player selected at +325, according to Caesar’s Sportsbook. SportsLine has Murphy jumping from -125 to -225 going under 14.5 and is listed as -185 as of Tuesday morning, via Circa. DraftKings took it from 15.5 to 14.5 with -150 below.
In 2023, he was named a second-team All-American and first-team All-Big 12 and had the highest PFF pass rush grade (91.5) among FBS defensive tackles. His size is a weakness that can impact his success rate against the run.
The 2024 NFL Draft begins Thursday, April 25 at 8 p.m. ET in Detroit.