Former Oklahoma Sooners interior offensive lineman Chris Murray signs deal following NFL Draft

Former Oklahoma Sooners interior offensive lineman Chris Murray missed out on his chance to get drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft, but he will still get a shot in the NFL. According to Jordan Schultz of The Score, Murray will be heading to the state of Florida and joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason after agreeing to an undrafted rookie free agent contract.

Murray pulled a reverse Troy Aikman, starting his career at UCLA before transferring to Oklahoma for the 2020 season. In his freshman year with the Bruins, the Palmdale, CA, native started in all twelve of their games.

He started three at center and nine at right guard earning freshman all-American honors to close the year. In his three years at Oklahoma, he started in 29 games earning an all-Big 12 second-team selection in 2021 and an honorable mention in 2022. With the Sooners, Murray exclusively played right guard.

Michael Turk signs UDFA deal

Following an impressive six-year college career — including the past two seasons at Oklahoma — Michael Turk is on to the NFL. The punter did not hear his name called in the 2023 draft, but later signed as an undrafted free agent with the Miami Dolphins.

Turk becomes the third member of his family to make it to the NFL, following in the footsteps of his uncles, Matt and Dan. Matt Turk also played punter, spending 19 seasons in the league and making three Pro Bowl appearances. Dan Turk later served as long snapper for Matt in Washington from 1997-99, making the pair of the first brother-to-brother snapper-punter combination in NFL history.

Michael Turk began his college career at FCS Lafayette College in 2017, setting the single-season record for punting average (42.7 yards per punt). He transferred the Arizona State the following season, spending the next three years with the Sun Devils and earning first team All-Pac 12 honors in 2019 and 2020.

In 2021, Michael Turk transferred to Oklahoma and set a record for single-game punt average (59.7 yards) that year against TCU. He was named first team All-Big 12 in each of the past two years and was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award in 2022. Turk saw 22 of his punts downed inside the 20-yard line this past season.

Turk averaged 47.4 yards on 243 career punts, which is just 0.4 yards shy of the FBS record set by Colorado State‘s Ryan Stonehouse.