Trent Murphy - OLB - Stanford
Height: 6' 5"
Weight: 350 lbs
Arm Length: 33 7/8"
Hand Size: 11 1/8"
Strengths: Murphy is a tough, hard nosed DE/OLB prospect. He is a tireless worker who leads by example. Murphy possesses tremendous functional strength and has the frame to bulk up, if necessary. His motor was always running hot and his production totals reflected it, leading the country with 15 sacks as a senior. Murphy has huge hands and uses them effectively to knock down passes and knock back potential blockers. On top of the physical gifts, Murphy also possesses great football intelligence, reading and reacting to what the offense gives him.
2014 Indianapolis colts
Weaknesses: While Murphy possesses tremendous functional strength, he lacks weight room strength and can be controlled by power running teams. He is a bit of a 'tweener and doesn't really have a set position. He is too small to play defensive end but not agile enough to drop into coverage as an outside linebacker. He also doesn't possess great straight line speed and moves best going towards the line of scrimmage.
Conclusions: Murphy is an odd prospect to place. If he were a little bigger or a little faster, he'd be drafted in Round 1, without question. He plays hard every snap with an old school style. While Murphy may take a some time to get acclimated to the speed of the NFL, his instincts and toughness are what made him so productive at Stanford and will likely make him an NFL starter.
Projected Range: Round 1 to Round 2