Steve Sarkisian on Texas' two first-round selections in Byron Murphy, Xavier Worthy

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian released statements on Thursday night reacting to the selections of Byron Murphy and Xavier Worthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Murphy was taken with the No. 16 overall pick by the Seattle Seahawks. Worthy was picked at No. 28 by the Kansas City Chiefs.

[Sign up for Inside Texas and get ONE MONTH for $1!]

“Seattle got a great one and a guy that can be an anchor on their defensive line for a long time in Byron Murphy,” said Sarkisian. “The biggest thing about Murph is the work ethic. He wasn’t the most highly recruited player coming out of high school, but he worked extremely hard, earned everyone’s respect and developed into a big-time NFL first-round pick. He really had a pitbull mentality every day in practice and is a guy who graduated from UT in just three years and has a great football IQ. He is such an awesome person, incredible teammate and was a great team leader for us. The work ethic, drive, determination, and the coachability really stand out with Murph. He’s a disruptive, penetrating type player, so whatever front you’re looking at, he can be a great player for you. With us he played a lot over the center and was very effective at that, but he also got on the edge and was able to get up field, too. The amount of times he put pressure on a quarterback and an offense was immense, he’s a very disruptive, attacking type of player who’s at his best when you cut him loose and let him go.

“Murph is a really explosive, powerful guy. He’s a disruptive defensive lineman who can consistently make plays on the opposite side of the line scrimmage. His effort and work ethic are unmatched, and that’s how he plays every single snap. He doesn’t take any plays off and has the ability to get to the quarterback. To think he was the second defensive player, and first defensive tackle, taken in this year’s draft speaks volumes about what the Seahawks and everyone in the NFL sees in him, and they definitely won’t be disappointed. Murph is a great one and I can’t wait to watch him in the NFL.”

[Subscribe to the brand new Inside Texas YouTube channel!]

Regarding Worthy, here’s what Sarkisian had to say.

“Xavier is a perfect fit in that explosive Chiefs offense,” said Sarkisian.” He obviously has electric, world class speed and clearly is a threat to go the distance any time he touches the ball, but he probably plays with more toughness than people give him credit for. He’s got the plethora of the route tree he can run, really understands coverages, is a highly intelligent football player, and can absolutely run all day. He really dedicated himself to grow in all facets of his game in his three years with us and became a great leader, too. He had a great freshman year where he made an immediate impact, but I loved the perseverance he showed coming out of year two when he dealt with some injuries, and then what he was able to do last year. He was a critical part of all the success we had – the Big 12 Championship, College Football Playoff and having one of the best offenses in the country. He made big plays, critical catches, was a much-improved blocker, and just did it all for us every time out.

“It goes without saying, the speed is real and will make a big-time difference in the NFL. And the thing about Xavier is he ran that time, but that’s the way he practices every single day. Every rep is full speed. He has the ability to take the top off the defense, but he’s much more than that. He has tremendous route running ability and is a tireless worker at that. He has a very high football IQ and is extremely competitive. He gives you flexibility in the punt return game because he was a gamebreaker in that area, too. X is going to be an outstanding pro in every way, and Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the two-time Super Bowl Champions got them a great player and person. I’m so fired up to watch him in the NFL, he’s got a great career ahead of him and is in an awesome place for his skillset.”

Join Inside Texas for Market-Leading Texas Longhorns Football coverage!

InsideTexas.com provides just what passionate Texas fans expect: Market-leading coverage of Longhorns athletics and recruiting.

Join the best Texas fan community and receive all the benefits that come with it:

• Elite team and recruiting coverage of the program you love
• Immediate access to any Longhorns break news
• Exclusive insider practice reports and year-round team info as well as board Q&A’s with IT staff
• High level discourse with the most passionate and informed Longhorns fans across multiple board forums.
• Market leading team analysis for those who are looking to increase their understanding of Steve Sarkisian and Pete Kwiatkowski’s preferred concepts
• So much more!

SIGN UP and ensure no Longhorns information gets by you: Join Inside Texas community today!

Talk about this story and many more with fellow Longhorn diehards on the Members Only forum.