Texas defensive lineman Byron Murphy II declares for 2024 NFL Draft

The Texas Longhorns star defensive lineman Byron Murphy II has made it official. On Thursday, Murphy announced that he would be leaving Austin, Texas, and entering the 2024 NFL Draft, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Murphy was the nation’s No. 380 ranked recruit in the 2021 recruiting class and was No. 36 among defensive linemen as a four-star recruit coming out of high school. Over the past three seasons. Murphy has been a monster on the inside for the Longhorns. But one could argue that the 6-foot-1, 290-pound plus defensive lineman put together his best statistical season for Texas this past year. Murphy built off of his 26 total tackles, nine solo, three tackles for loss, and one sack campaign in 2022 by putting together a 29 total tackles, 13 solo, 8.5 tackles for loss, and five sacks this year. He also tacked on a rushing touchdown in the Longhorns College Football Playoff semifinal matchup against Washington.

Murphy is currently listed as the 4th best defensive tackle prospect in the 2024 NFL draft, according to ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. The junior out of DeSoto, Texas, is ranked behind Miami’s Leonard Taylor, Illinois’ Jer’Zhan Newton, and his partner in havoc within the interior of the Longhorns defensive line, T’Vondre Sweat.

More on the 2024 NFL Draft

The 2024 NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Michigan, with the first round on Thursday, April 25, the second and third rounds on Friday, April 26, and the fourth through seventh rounds on Saturday, April 27.

Players will have the opportunity to solidify their draft stock at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, to be held in Indianapolis, Indiana from February 26 through March 4.

The three-day event will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on ESPN and NFL Network.

To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility.

Last season, 69 players were granted special eligibility for the 2023 NFL Draft. 13 underclassmen who had completed their college degrees were also deemed eligible to be selected.