Seattle Seahawks select Byron Murphy II in first round of 2024 NFL Draft

The Seattle Seahawks selected Texas Longhorns defensive lineman Byron Murphy II in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He spent the last three seasons at Texas and emerged as one of the top defensive linemen in college football.

Murphy played in all 14 games in 2023 and tallied 29 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and seven quarterback hurries. He was also a threat on offense, scoring two offensive touchdowns with one TD reception and one TD rush. Murphy became the first Texas offensive or defensive lineman to have multiple touchdowns.

Because of his success in 2023, Murphy was named Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year and a second-team All-American by multiple media outlets. In his career, Murphy played in 39 games with 16 starts and registered 70 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and eight sacks.

Murphy played high school football at DeSoto High School in DeSoto, Texas, where he was a four-star prospect. He ranked as the No. 380 overall prospect and the No. 36 defensive lineman in the 2021 class, according to the On3 Industry Rating, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Byron Murphy II

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com provided some analysis of Murphy in his scouting report. He projected him to be taken in the first round and compared him to Ed Oliver of the Buffalo Bills. Oliver made the All-Rookie Team in 2019 and is coming off a 2023 season where he tallied 9.5 sacks.

“Muscular ball of explosiveness with the tools and talent to become a productive three-down defender in the right scheme,” Zierlein wrote about Murphy. “Twitchy first-step quickness combined with flexion and power in his lower half create a recipe for disruption as a gap shooter or as a pass rusher. Murphy is powerful and well-schooled at taking on double-teams but lacks ideal mass and length for that role long-term.

“He’s successful at bypassing protection with sudden hands and quick feet, while his motor and passion create an activity level coaches will love. Forget the average physical traits and modest production and focus on his competitive spirit and disruptive qualities. Murphy is ascending and could become a successful nose tackle or 3-technique in an even front.”