North Carolina Commit ‘20 Myles Murphy (DE) Highlights and Evaluation
After a 2-0 start, the Tarheels D-line has been looking pretty solid all around, logging 7 sacks as a unit. Future Tarheel Myles Murphy also had himself a hot start to the season, tallying over 20 tackles and a sack in his first three games.
Murphy plays defensive end how it’s supposed to be played. Gotta take care of the dirty work on 1st & 2nd down to get to your strip-sack lunch on 3rd and long. At a quick 280-piece, it’s damn near impossible for him to be moved back. A former running back, Murphy’s legend began in the backfield dotting the I.
It’s an increasingly common story. Murphy was a gifted athlete that just didn’t stop growing, so we put him where all the big athletes in America go. Honestly, is it a stretch to say that these days especially, that’s how most defensive linemen are born?
Knock on wood if you’re with me.
Myles will be entering UNC at prototypical defensive line size, and when you pair that with an ex RB’s feet, you get a lethal defensive lineman. Let’s take a look at the skillset he’s bringing to the table, and if it’ll be enough for him to see the field his freshman year.
Strengths:
Consistent Pad Level - Being as strong as murphy is, he could get away with poor technique at the HS level. Murphy stays low throughout the entire play and into the backfield, making redirection a breeze even at 280 pounds.
Pass Rush Moves - He has the pass rush moves of a defensive tackle. What I mean by that is, his hands are quick and concise; He doesn't use (for lack of a better word) exotic pass rush moves. It should be a surprise to nobody if he ends up moving into the interior after spending some time in the weight room and enjoying that meal plan.
His short-area quickness and compact hands compliment the strength difference between him and his opponent. When you’re that much stronger than your opponent, there is no need for big arms and a fancy pass rush move. Just get off the ball make a move and go.
Twitchy - Twitch that translates perfectly in the run game and pass game. He explodes off the ball into the chest of the offensive lineman. He gets scary fast penetration in the backfield on one play, and on the next he’ll stack and shed right on the LOS. Shows me he knows when and when not to go upfield, making himself un-trapable.
His speed rush is something special too.
UNC Recruiting -
Chapel Hill has never seen a defensive line drought. A juicy in-state talent pool and a solid producer of NFL talent with five D-linemen on current NFL rosters, North Carolina may have just bagged another high round draft pick in Murphy.
Currently sitting somewhere in the middle of the pack in the ACC, UNC recruited some of the premiere talent North Carolina has to offer, including in-state safety phenoms Ja'Qurious Conley and Cameron Roseman-Sinclair.
Mack Brown might have something to do with this class’s strong showing. Might have something to do with the perfect fit that Murphy is in Brown’s attacking 3-4 defense.
Or it might just be these moves.
