GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers enjoyed a relatively healthy season in 2022, though the torn ACL sustained by Rashan Gary at Detroit was a season-changer.
Gary’s injury was sustained on Nov. 6, meaning there’s no guarantee he’ll be back in the lineup for Week 1 – let alone be back in prime form. While fifth-round pick Kingsley Enagbare had a solid rookie season, there’s no doubt the Packers need to bolster their outside linebacker corps in the 2023 NFL Draft.
That’s why Clemson’s Myles Murphy, the selection for the Packers in ProFootballFocus.com’s latest mock draft, makes so much sense.
“Chances are you’ll read mock drafts with Myles Murphy in the top 10, and maybe even the top five,” PFF’s Trevor Sikkema said. “With the way this defensive class is set up, there is still a possibility of that happening, given the lack of clear pass-rushing stars beyond Will Anderson Jr. and with Murphy being an athletic 6-foot-5, 275-pounder. Some production concerns could push him a little further down the boards. But even if that’s the case, he checks a lot of size and athletic thresholds the Packers typically go for.”
Murphy was considered the no. 3 player in the nation by ESPN.com coming out of Hillgrove High School in Marietta, Ga. He was a Freshman All-American in 2020 with his four sacks, three forced fumbles and 12 tackles for losses. In 2021, he earned second-team all-ACC with seven sacks, two forced fumbles and 14 tackles for losses. He added first-team all-conference accolades in 2022 with 6.5 sacks, one forced fumble and 11 tackles for losses.
According to PFF, there were 137 draft-eligible edge defenders from FBS schools with at least 200 pass-rushing opportunities. Murphy finished 80th in pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap, and 63rd in pass-rushing win rate.
If that seems underwhelming, it’s worth nothing that Murphy had 34 pressures during his final season while Gary had 26.
With his strip-sack prowess, Murphy joined Gaines Adams, Vic Beasley and Clelin Ferrell as the only Clemson players since 2000 to post multiple seasons with multiple forced fumbles and at least four sacks.
Murphy’s father, Willard Murphy, played at Chattanooga and his older brother, Maxwell, played at NAIA Worcester Polytechnic in Massachusetts. Maxwell inspired Myles to challenge himself academically, with Myles Murphy majoring in construction science and management.
“My main goal is to be the most disruptive player on the field at all times,” he said. “With me being the most disruptive person on the field, other things come with that, including beating your one-on-one competition and getting the sacks, tackles for loss and quarterback pressures. If I am not being huge in the box score, I am still affecting the quarterback or the ball carrier in some type of way.”
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100 Days of Mocks
Starting Jan. 17, when there were 100 days until the start of the NFL Draft, we started our mock-worthy goal of 100 mock drafts in 100 days. Here’s the 100-day countdown series.
100 days: First round quarterback?
99 days: Trading for outside linebacker
98 days: Stud tight end
97 days: This pick would break a long drought
96 days: NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah goes back to Georgia
95 days: Two firsts if Rodgers is traded
94 days: College Football News mocks Mayer
93 days: Safety first for Bucky Brooks in NFL.com mock
92 days: Kiper takes a tight end
91 days: Three defensive backs in a seven-round mock
90 days: Playmaking cornerback at PFF
89 days: A “Eureka!” moment in two-round mock
88 days: Sorry, vacation day.
87 days: Packers trade back, get extra second-rounder
86 days: Tight end in NFL Draft Bible Mock
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