Maybe fans should have seen the Cincinnati Bengals selecting Clemson defensive end Myles Murphy in the first round coming.
Murphy, after all, took a top-30 visit with the team and is exactly what they like from their pass-rushers. Unlike tight end, cornerback and other spots, boosting the pressure rate of the defense was one of the only things the team didn’t address in free agency, too.
So who is Murphy? Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar had this to say while ranking him as the 24th overall prospect:
Conclusion: Murphy’s instant NFL success will be dependent on which set of schemes he’s in. I think he’ll have a rough go of it for a while as a four-down edge defender. But in the NFL’s increasing use of five-man fronts, he could be beneficial right away as both a big end and a strong-side pass-rusher in sub-fronts. He has enough on the ball to be somewhat productive early on, with the potential for far more if he can get his arms around the refinements that make people at his position truly great.
Over three seasons with Clemson, Murphy had 20 sacks, 10 quarterback hits, 66 quarterback hurries and five batted passes. He’s the productive captain from a major program the Bengals love adding to their own program.
Not only does Murphy have the skill set to enter the rotation right away, he’s a long-term play to help the line stay productive. Names like Trey Hendrickson and DJ Reader have put a ton of snaps on their bodies and battled injuries in recent years, plus enter free agency soon.
The main complaint some fans might have with the pick was other names still on the board. Joey Porter Jr. and Michael Mayer were notables.
But while those complaints are valid, Murphy was undoubtedly the top guy on their board — just look how quickly they submitted the pick.
