2024 NFL Draft: Byron Murphy II is an interior disruptor who would have immediate impact for the Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals could use the tenacious interior pass rusher.

Over the next couple of weeks, leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft we will take a look at close to 30 prospects to know.

Within that, we will use the excellent work of Dane Brugler, who has just released his “The Beast” 2024 NFL Draft Guide. I highly recommend taking a peek and signing up for The Athletic if only to get Dane’s guide.

It is always an exhaustive work, and he should be commended.

With that said, we will go in order of Dane’s Big Board and use his final analysis as the wrap up of each prospect.

Today we look at Dane’s 16th overall prospect, Byron Murphy II. The interior disruptor would be an immediate impact player for the Arizona Cardinals.

Dane’s Take:

A one-year starter at Texas, Murphy played multiple spots on the interior of defensive coordinator Jeff Choate’s scheme. Although his stats don’t jump off the page, his production improved each season, and he finished 2023 with a team-best 45 pressures and ranked No. 1 among all FBS interior defensive linemen in pass rush win percentage (19.6 percent).

Those of you who have listened to Justin and I, there are certain things we look at, one of them being how they improve yearly production wise. Murphy did that in his third and final season with the Longhorns.

Murphy fires off the ball to get vertical push through gaps or establish low-man positioning, which helps him shed blocks or anchor the point of attack. He can get swallowed up at times, buthis effort and hand usage make his lack of size less of a concern than expected.

The Cardinals put a lot of numbers into the defensive line, but they don’t have anyone with the interior disruption capabilities of Murphy.

Overall, Murphy doesn’t have ideal length, but his rare combination of lower-body twitch, natural leverage and power throughout his frame sets his apart. With his disruptive energy, both as a pass rusher and versus the run, he projects as an impact starter who can play shaded nose or three -technique, similar to Grady Jarrett.

I love the Jarrett comparisons, and getting a guy who could be a two time Pro Bowler and have All Pro upside is something this team needs on both sides of the ball.

Next up… Taliese Fuaga.