Why Byron Murphy II is Primed for an All-Pro Leap in Year 3

Byron Murphy II has been strong for the Seattle Seahawks in his first two seasons, but there's a good chance that his best has yet to come.

Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II reacts after a fumble against New England Patriots. | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Byron Murphy II is entering his third season in the NFL, and there's a very good chance it could be his best one yet.

Murphy turns 24 years old the day before the Seahawks take the field to start the season against the New England Patriots, where he hopes to continue the dominance of the "Dark Side" defense.

"Murphy broke out last year to help anchor Seattle’s run to the Super Bowl. His 72.8 overall PFF grade tied for 15th among qualifiers, rooted in a 77.3 PFF pass-rush grade and a 12.3% pass-rush win rate. Still, Murphy has room to grow against the run after earning a sub-54.0 grade for the second straight season," Pro Football Focus contributor Bradley Locker wrote.

"The Seahawks’ defense should be championship-caliber yet again even after losing a handful of pieces, giving Murphy another year to build along a ferocious front. If the former first-rounder can play more consistently on the ground, he’s capable of reaching another level of stardom in Year 3."

Byron Murphy Can Become All-Pro Next Season

Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II against the New England Patriots. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

If Murphy is already in the highest tier of defensive linemen in just his second season, there's a good chance he will remain among the top players at his position in the years to come.

The number 16 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft out of Texas was the first draft pick in the Mike Macdonald era for the Seahawks. Macdonald is a defensive guru, so the team's selection of Murphy was a massive stamp of approval towards his talents and what he can bring to a football team.

Murphy saw significant growth from year one to year two in the league. In his rookie season, he had 36 tackles and only 0.5 sacks, but in 2025 he almost doubled his tackle total to 62. He had 13 quarterback hits and seven sacks. Murphy was tied for the team lead in sacks alongside Leonard Williams and Uchenna Nwosu.

It's clear that the Seahawks view Murphy as a key part of the team's future on defense and this is a massive season for him coming up because his contract extension is due. If he takes another step in the right direction and becomes an All-Pro, the Seahawks could make him the highest-paid defensive tackle in the league next summer.

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