We’re fielding questions from die hard Missouri Tigers fans. In this week’s edition of ‘Ask Truman’, we tackle Marcus Murphy. Or, rather where he might end up in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Dear Truman’s Tales,
Where do you think Marcus Murphy will go in the NFL Draft? Does he deserve more love than he’s getting?
–Walter, Columbia MO
Oh, where to begin. Many amateur draft gurus likely barely even expect to see Murphy making any kind of splash in the 2015 NFL Draft. That being said, there are still some possible scenarios that see him wind up in the fold.
Considering the type of player he is, there are so many roles out there he could find himself in from goal line to special teams. Despite being severely undersized, he could play at a level above where he’s actually selected. Of course, there are others that think he’s not cut out for the professional level. Maybe that’s so, but let’s just humor the possibility for a second.
Marcus Murphy’s combine and pro day numbers were average and he definitely doesn’t do himself any favors with his height. The league is always wary to take little guys even if players like Darren Sproles have proved their worth in the past. Murphy’s speed is there. He improved on his 4.61 combine forty-yard dash with a 4.57 at Mizzou’s pro day this spring.
His pluses are certainly there too. He has quick feet, and he can make guys miss. And he is a solid 3rd down and goal line back. I wouldn’t be surprised if he winds up being that Sproles-like player in an offense somewhere. It is very unlikely he will ever be the ace runner anywhere. But to be a role playing back, one could do a lot worse with the pick in this draft.
His main draw, of course, is his ability to return kicks. There’s no shortage of NFL teams that need kick returning help. But very few make it a big priority. But if a team comes along in the middle of the draft that is looking for a running back and also happens to be very worried about special teams next season, they might be inclined to surprise everyone and take Murphy earlier than expected.
Obviously, that’s a perfect storm of a scenario, but I wouldn’t rule it out.
The more likely possibility is that he’ll wind up being taken by a team in the 6th or 7th round to a team like New England that loves just inserting whatever running back they can to make their offense more well-rounded. But don’t be shocked if you hear his name in the next couple of seasons. He could be successful in that kind of role in this league.
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