Murrell Says "Definitely Interested" in Oklahoma State after Offer
DeShun Murrell has this weekend off as he and his Bibb County High School teammates finished up the regular season with an 8-2 record and will start the playoffs next week with a home game against Dale County from Midland City. Bibb County (Centreville, Ala.) won a couple of games by forfeit this fall and in the regular season the 5-11, 190-pound Murrell accumulated 1,581-all-purpose-yards and scored 25 touchdowns. He averaged 9.8-yards per carry. Murrell has gone over the 4,500-yard mark in rushing for Bibb County. He also accumulated some 41 scholarship offers and told me he is still committed to UCLA. However, he received an offer the other day that he told me commands his interest.
"I'm definitely interested," Murrell said of the offer coming from Oklahoma State. "They have a great culture and one of the best atmospheres. I'm a competitor! I hate to lose and they win a lot of games. The Big 12 is a strong league and I would love to test my talent in that conference."
Murrell is a go getter, no doubt about that. Besides his football and track exploits in school, which also includes making the Class 5A All-State team as a junior with 2,174-yards rushing and 33 touchdowns. Murrell has already been chosen to play in December on the South squad in the Alabama High School Athletic Association All-Star Game. Last summer he worked four jobs and he has his own clothing company that specializes in leisure wear includingt t-shirts. The company is called Kuntry Strong Apparel.
Watching Murrell play, you can see where he would fit in with the Oklahoma State offense, he is usually quick to and through the hole and is often a "one cut and go" back, similar to Chuba Hubbard or LD Brown, the Cowboys current top two on the depth chart. Murrell also shows the ability to move sideways as well. On some plays he slides all the way from inside to the perimeter in finding space to lengthen the play. He is strong, but has ample speed.
Murrell getting up after a run during the 2019 Alabama State Playoffs.
The Bibb Voice
Murrell said he committed to UCLA because education is really important to him and the California school is a high ranking public university. He admits that going through recruiting now is "crazy."
"You can't take officials visits and that was going to be the biggest part of my decision making process," Murrell said. "If they were to open it up then I would take all five of my official visits, but if it doesn't then I have to do what I have to do (making a decision)."
The NCAA has banned in-person recruiting in Division I, both on-campus and off-campus through the end of the year meaning players like Murrell in the 2021 recruiting class will be able to sign in December without having taken any visits or had any coaches visit in their home.
Murrell said he wants to major in Architecture and Engineering Management. Oklahoma State has one of the top Architecture and Engineering Schools in the nation, so you can bet the Cowboys will work on stressing the academics. He told us that several Oklahoma State coaches are recruiting him including running backs coach John Wozniak and Player Development Specialist Beni Tonga.
Keep an eye on this situation with Murrell and we will follow his progress in the Alabama Class 5A State Playoffs starting Nov. 6.