NFL Draft’s top DT models game after Aaron Donald, says he can be better than AD

Will Rams draft Byron Murphy to fill the roster spot left by Aaron Donald’s retirement?

Among the countless variables to be the greatest defensive tackle in the NFL history, there’s no question that Aaron Donald has a ton of confidence in himself. Maybe in that way Texas defensive tackle Byron Young II could be suited to take Donald’s place on the L.A. Rams roster if the team gets a chance to pick him in the first round, as Young said that not only does he model his game after AD…He thinks he can be on the same level, “if not better”.

In an interview with SportsKeeda’s Rob Gullo last week, Murphy was asked who he models his game after and he unsurprisingly named the best defensive tackles in the modern era. He pays special attention to Donald and Ed Oliver because like them, he’s a defensive tackle who weighs under 300 lbs.

“I try to watch guys like Aaron Donald, Da’Ron Payne, Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, Ed Oliver, and the reason why I watch guys like that is because I model my game after guys like them, especially AD & Ed because us three are the undersized D-linemen.”

“I feel I can be on the same level as them, if not better.”

The full interview can be seen here:

Young measured 6’, 297 lbs at the combine with 32.5” arms and over 10” hands. He ran a 4.87 with a 1.69 10-yard split and a 33” vertical with 28 reps on the bench. In three years at Texas, Murphy had 15 tackles for a loss and eight sacks in 32 games.

Should we talk about Aaron Donald’s draft resume now?

Donald measured 6’1, 285 lbs at the 2014 combine with 32.5” arms and just under 10” hands. He ran a 4.68 in the 40, 1.63 10-yard split, 32” vertical, and 35 reps on the bench. In his final three years at Pitt, Aaron Donald had 63 tackles for a loss, 28 sacks, and six forced fumbles in 38 games.

Should we go over that again: 15 tackles for a loss vs 63 tackles for a loss. Historic combine effort for a defensive tackle vs. a very good effort. 28 sacks vs. eight sacks. 35 reps vs 28 reps.

I don’t say any of this to come down on Byron Murphy, a player who might turn into an All-Pro defensive tackle at the next level. But to be in the same conversation with the names he mentioned, especially Donald, he does have a lot of catching up to do before he even hears “select Byron Murphy” called on draft day.