Welcome Kenneth Murray LB, Oklahoma

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  • Bolt-O
    Administrator
    • Jun 2013
    • 32157
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    Welcome Kenneth Murray LB, Oklahoma

    Pre-Draft Analysis

    Murray is a rangy inside linebacker with excellent closing speed and good stopping power. He has the burst to shoot gaps and disrupt plays in the backfield. There's room for improvement when it comes to winning with his hands, but he flashes as a pass-rusher and is effective at spying quarterbacks. Murray is a natural leader with a professional work ethic. -- Steve Muench


    --
    A four-star recruit out of Missouri City, Texas, Murray exploded on the scene for the Sooners in 2017 as a Freshman All-American, Co-Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and 14-game starter (78 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, one sack). He stepped forward as a sophomore, ranking third in the FBS with 155 tackles (12.5 for loss, four sacks) and garnering second-team all-conference accolades. While his tackle numbers were down (102 total stops), Murray's playmaking ability shone through for the Big 12 champions as a junior, with Murray collecting 17 tackles for loss and four sacks as well as four pass breakups in 14 starts. He earned third-team Associated Press All-American and first-team All-Big 12 honors for his efforts. Murray is the son of a preacher and takes pride in helping his parents raise three adopted siblings with special needs.

    Overview
    Sleek, playmaking linebacker with chiseled frame and long arms. Murray's game is predicated on speed with an ability to fly around from sideline to sideline rolling up tackles. While his twitchy burst allows him to make more plays than the average linebacker, he will overflow to ball-carriers at times. Recognition of play development and ability to take on blocks are both underdeveloped currently, but a move to weak-side linebacker would put him in position to minimize those concerns and maximize his playmaking talent. Murray has hit-or-miss qualities and is more splashy than consistent, but he's immensely talented with the ability to imprint on games on all three downs.

    Strengths
    • Playmaking speed to mark up a stat sheet
    • Very decisive and willing to take chances
    • Runs and moves like a safety in space
    • Fires into gaps and can put offenses behind the chains
    • Averaged nearly 15 tackles for loss over last two years
    • Can make all the tackles if kept clean
    • Weaves and rolls downhill to close the distance on running backs
    • Ridiculous range from sideline to sideline
    • Instant burst to the ball from a standstill
    • Scrape speed to stay square to the line of scrimmage
    • Can spy, blitz or rush off the edge on passing downs


    Weaknesses
    • Needs to temper urgency with additional patience
    • Misdirected out of position multiple times by same play against Kansas State
    • Instincts and fit recognition are spotty as inside linebacker
    • Desire to make plays clouds judgment on angles
    • Must improve strength and hand usage for take-on duties
    • Can be erased from gaps by a square block
    • Needs to play with better balance and control as open-field tackler
    • Hard flows turn to overflows

  • Critty
    Dominate the Day.
    • Mar 2019
    • 5406
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    #2
    Murray-LB

    Wow.
    Who has it better than us?

    Comment

    • Coachmarkos
      Registered Charger Fan
      • Jun 2013
      • 3186
      • SoDak
      • Technology Director
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      #3
      can' wait to see the complaints in this one, after reading through the Herbert thread.

      Really good player.
      "...of course that's just my opinion, I could be wrong."

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      • captaind
        Cook This Pork Chops
        • Jun 2013
        • 4418
        • Mars
        • Ball Holder
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        #4
        I love this pick. Really needed a LB. This defense is going to be one of the best in the NFL next season.

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        • Bolt-O
          Administrator
          • Jun 2013
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          #5
          Tackling: Explosive athleticism and rocked up frame with big length illustrates a distinctly powerful and consistent tackler. Has a bit of a high wrap-up area because of his taller frame, but he can win wrapping around shoulder pads or the upper body with success. Good grip strength and strike power with his upper body to knock or wrench his opponent off his base, and can drag down with success given size/strength. Radius is large and his extra gear of burst helps him get into tackles on the edge others would miss.

          Range: Delightful on the hoof. Has a great speed profile for a player of his density; good initial explosiveness with strong recognition ability on sideline and boundaries plays, and then a second gear to close the final angle and get to the contact point. Has some trouble gathering his final momentum and can be a runaway freight train at time.

          Block Deconstruction: Odd struggles here. Will initiate contact with length and look to shock with aggressive hand placement, but doesn't maintain control over his opponent and rag doll or shuck with any consistency. Wins leverage but then maintains it and doesn't work to cross face in those moments that it makes sense. As such, gets stonewalled often and frequently finished as well as he tries to fight through power instead of using his hands to shed. Has good flexibility to slip blocks on the run and get his hips back into the line of scrimmage.

          Toughness: Great contact balance in tight alleyways and does a great job surviving contact in the first level to keep his feet and get involved in the tackle. Effective when taking on kick out blocks and pullers and has good stopping power against backs and linemen alike. Willing to generate velocity into contact to deliver a strike and will finish aggressively when the opportunities arise.

          Mental Processing: I really do think he sees things quick, even for some of the flabbergasting and exasperating moments on film. Clearly has a good instinct for flow and will get on his horse to beat opponents to their landmark on wide zone plays. Sifts through pullers and climbers nicely on complex looks with multiple offensive linemen on the move and regularly gets to the right area of the field, though over-pursuit is a common issue that must be addressed. Instinct not nearly as developed in space, especially in zone coverage, as it is when playing downhill.

          Decision-making: Surprisingly tepid player who seems at times arrested by his own process. Regularly remains too deep off the line of scrimmage and fails to scrape close to his defensive linemen, leaving room for cutbacks, climbers, or otherwise offensive work to make him wrong in space. Will hesitate with an open gap square in front of his hips to shoot and look to scrape over the top to boundary tackles he has no chance of making. Does not maximize his length, physicality, or burst.

          Short Area Quickness: Not a nimble player. Too upright, with a long stride length and a ton of momentum when he's on the move. Not an inflexible player, actually has a bit of looseness and swivel to his hips and can get sufficient hip sink when he's looking to redirect, though internal knee bend seems unhealthy. With that said, has to take multiple steps to gather and explode opposite. Has enough quickness to get into his zone drops or flip his hips in man coverage against tight ends, however, which is a big deal.

          Man Cover Ability: Infrequently used in man coverage responsibilities but clearly has some translatable ability. Length and explosiveness helps him stay connected on tight end routes, but he's able to flip his hips and carry crossers opposite him given his athletic ability. Has no experience carrying routes downfield and cannot be trusted early to tag seam runners or wheels, though the potential is there. Concerning blitz rate in man coverage concepts indicates he's being hidden.

          Zone Cover Ability: Solid zone coverage player in simple responsibilities at this time, but more will be needed from him in the league. Controlled and fluid in most of his drops, though he can get suckered in by backfield action/QB eyes and get happy feet, squaring himself to the line of scrimmage. Does not yet have good instincts for routes developing behind him and will unintentionally overlap with his teammates, exposing players in space. Struggles mightily to recover after play-action gets him into the backfield. Experience needed here.

          Round Grade: Incomplete

          Best Trait: Range

          Worst Trait: Decision-Making

          Player Comparison: Stephone Anthony

          Summary: Kenneth Murray is a Day 2 linebacker prospect with a higher ceiling in a different scheme. Behind the slanting front of Alex Grinch and against complex, pulling Big 12 offenses, Murray struggled to generate a high impact play between the tackles, as he was frequently scraping and working to redirect his momentum into the backfield. Murray projects best to a 3-4 SILB or 4-3 SAM role, that allows him to play directly downhill into the trees and blow up blockers, while making strong plays into the boundary with his unique speed and length at his size. Murray is a high upside prospect if deployed correctly, and is a candidate for Year 2 starting responsibilities if he improves his zone coverage drops.

          Comment

          • Bolt-O
            Administrator
            • Jun 2013
            • 32157
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            #6

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            • boldarblood
              Charger Fan
              • Jun 2013
              • 322
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              #7
              Fleet I believe Queen and Murray were the 2nd option LB you wanted.

              Great Pickup!

              Comment

              • Fleet
                TPB Founder
                • Jun 2013
                • 14162
                • Cardiff - Poipu
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                #8
                Just drafted our 2nd QB. Sweet. I fucking love this kid.

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                • like54ninjas
                  Registered Charger Fan
                  • Oct 2017
                  • 8211
                  • Great White North
                  • Draftnik
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                  #9
                  One of my favorite prospects. We are going to love this kid! #9 overall prospect on my board!
                  My 2021 Adopt-A-Bolt List

                  MikeDub
                  K9
                  Nasir
                  Tillery
                  Parham
                  Reed

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                  • 21&500
                    Bolt Spit-Baller
                    • Sep 2018
                    • 10380
                    • A Whale's Vajayjay
                    • CMB refugee
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                    #10


                    welcome
                    do work
                    .005 Brock Bowers, TE/HB/SR Georgia
                    .037 Braden Fiske, DT Florida St.
                    .069 Mike Sainristil, CB Michigan
                    .105 Brenden Rice, WR USC
                    .110 Mason McCormick, OG/OC S. Dakota St.
                    .140 Zak Zinter, OG Michigan
                    .181 Nehemiah Pritchett, CB Auburn
                    .225 Ainias Smith, WR Texas A&M
                    .253 Carson Steele, RB UCLA

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                    • Joy Division
                      Registered Charger Fan
                      • May 2017
                      • 81
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                      #11
                      Stud. Only gave up a 3rd round pick to move back into the 1st! Smart move TT.

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                      • Fleet
                        TPB Founder
                        • Jun 2013
                        • 14162
                        • Cardiff - Poipu
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                        #12
                        Originally posted by boldarblood View Post
                        Fleet I believe Queen and Murray were the 2nd option LB you wanted.

                        Great Pickup!
                        Been on the Murray train for months. Counted him out because he would be a mid to late 1st. Really capable sideline to sideline LB.

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