The wildest day of the College Football Playoff ever featured a number of top draft prospects. Chris breaks down stellar performances from C.J. Stroud, Quentin Johnson & more!
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Name: Myles Murphy
Position: Edge rusher
School: Clemson
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 275 lbs
Games watched: vs. Syracuse (2022), vs. Florida State (2022), vs. Wake Forest (2022), vs. UNC (’22 ACCCG), vs. Georgia (2021), vs. Wake Forest (2021)
Clemson has one of the most talented defensive lines in the entire country, featuring four players that will likely be selected in the Top 100 come April. Perhaps the one from that front four that will hear his name called first will be Myles Murphy. He finished his true junior season with 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss. His presence was felt in the backfield way more often than that as well.
Murphy’s impressive year earned him 1st team All-ACC honors, which came on the heels of a 2nd team All-ACC performance the year before. He has been consistently productive and there is a ton of untapped potential. Given how high we have seen raw, toolsy edge rushers be drafted in recent years, I have a feeling there will be a number of NFL teams interested in Murphy’s services.
Pros
As I already said, Murphy is a plus athlete with incredible bend and burst off the line. He is more athlete than polished pass rusher at this point, but 18.5 career sacks for a player that feels like he is just scratching the surface more than suffices from a production standpoint. He certainly looks the part of an NFL edge rusher as well. His play strength clearly improved in 2022, with Murphy regularly breaking out a bull rush that allowed him to collapse the pocket. His speed rush move improved as the year went along as well. His hand usage is solid, but there is room for improvement. While I wouldn’t call it a strength of his game, Murphy is better in zone coverage than I would have expected.
Cons
For as much fun as it is to watch Murphy fly off the ball, that aggressiveness often gets him in trouble. He is known to overrun plays or miss assignments because he is too hasty to read his keys. As a result, Murphy really struggles when put in conflict. He excels at setting the edge as a run defender, but he still has room to improve when it comes to disengaging to finish the play. His pass rush planning needs to improve at the next level. Right now, he just plays downhill and hopes to win off athleticism and finishing speed.
Synopsis
Murphy did not grade out as highly as some of the other edge rushers in this class, but I think he has a higher ceiling than most of them. He routinely created pressure based on being the faster or stronger player. With some good coaching and a bit more experience, I think Murphy has the potential to be a game-wrecker.
Ideal scheme fit: Attacking 3-4 outside linebacker or 5-technique defensive end
Grade: 87
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With Nathaniel Hackett out in Denver, Chris explores how the Broncos can get back on track this offseason despite sending so much draft capital to Seattle as part of the Russell Wilson trade.
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Who should you choose: the elite edge rusher from Alabama or the game-wrecking defensive tackle from Georgia? Chris does his best to break them both down and explain which one he would pick.
You can find every episode on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or wherever you find your podcasts. As always, I appreciate reviews, feedback and when you hit that subscribe button.
Name: Tyree Wilson
Position: Edge rusher
School: Texas Tech
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 275 lbs
Games watched: vs. NC State (2022), vs. Baylor (2022), vs. Kansas State (2022), vs. Texas (2022), vs. Mississippi State (’21 Liberty Bowl), vs. Oklahoma (2021)
I had not watched much of Texas Tech this year for one reason or another. Tyree Wilson’s name was one that I heard a lot and saw popping in mock drafts. I assumed he was going to be some twitchy edge rusher with gobs of untapped potential. I was very wrong. Put on the tape and you will see a polished run defender with great power and very solid production. Wilson posted 7 sacks in each of the past two seasons along with 27.5 tackles for loss combined.
That production earned him 1st team All-Big 12 and 2nd team AP All-American honors this season and a spot at the 2023 Senior Bowl, where he figures to be one of the top prospects participating. His imposing 6’6″ frame with long arms and good football IQ will definitely draw the attention of NFL scouts. The Texas A&M transfer made the most of his time at Lubbock and has turned a lot of heads with his play.
Pros
Wilson is an incredibly powerful defender. He has an excellent bull rush that collapses the pocket and allows him to be very active against the run. His eye discipline is impressive. You will rarely see Wilson get fooled when put into conflict. He routinely reads his keys and handles his assignment. His length is apparent and can bother opposing linemen when they try to stymie his pass rush moves. Those long arms allow him to make contact with quarterbacks while rushing, disrupting plays even if he can’t get home. Texas Tech moved Wilson all over the defensive line and he made his mark no matter where he was lined up. I think he would be capable of playing anywhere from a 3-4 outside linebacker to a 4-3 defensive tackle. I like him best as a 5-tech end in four man fronts, but he has versatility.
Cons
Most of Wilson’s game is predicated on being stronger and longer than his opponents. He has decent wiggle and burst, but it is far from elite. In watching his film, you rarely see him bend and turn the corner as a pass rusher. His impact is primarily felt overpowering linemen rather than overwhelming them with speed and agility. Wilson is a solid tackler, but is guilty of failing to wrap up on occasion. His change of direction ability leaves a bit to be desired. Wilson should not be used in coverage either.
Synopsis
I don’t know if Wilson will ever become a dominant pass rusher at the next level. He lacks the elite burst and speed to consistently get home against NFL talent. However, his length, power and awareness make him an excellent run defender who can still bring value on passing downs.
Ideal scheme fit: 5-technique defensive end
Grade: 89
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