The Texas Longhorns’ losses to the 2024 NFL Draft are beginning to pile up.
First, it was receivers Xavier Worthy and Jordan Whittington, and running back Jonathon Brooks.
But now, a major loss has come on the defensive side of the ball, with star defensive tackle Byron Murphy II telling ESPN that he intends to declare for the Draft.
Alongside T’Vondre Sweat, Murphy was one-half of the country’s most dominant defensive tackle tandem and top-ranked rushing defenses. Sweat has also recently hinted that he is going to forgo his final season, sending a goodbye message to fans on social media.
He is projected as a potential first-round pick, and No. 4 overall defensive tackle by ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.
According to Pro Football Focus, Murphy is one of the highest-ranked interior defensive linemen in all of college football. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian mentioned all of the qualities he sees in Murphy that allow him to be so dominant and impactful on the football field.
“He’s built like a pit bull, man,” Sarkisian said. “He’s strong. He’s got really strong shoulders. He’s extremely quick and powerful. He’s got a very high football IQ, and he plays hard. Those are all really cool prerequisites that you want to have as a defensive lineman, especially with his stature.”
This season, Murphy has recorded a total of 29 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and five sacks. and even scored two offensive touchdowns, including one in the College Football Playoff semi-finals vs. Washington in the Sugar Bowl.