2014 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Trent Murphy, DE/OLB, Stanford Cardinal
Jan 1, 2013; Pasadena, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal linebacker Trent Murphy (93) during the 2013 Rose Bowl game against the Wisconsin Badgers at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 261 pounds
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Scouting Report/Player Notes
Murphy was one of the more consistent hybrid linebackers in the country last year, regardless of conference. On a team that finished first in the country with 124 tackles for loss, he was the leader of the group with 18 of his own. Not only did he finish with 18 tackles for loss, but he made a total of 56 stops with 10 sacks and four passes broken up. Murphy is a very big rush linebacker for the Cardinal, which leads me to believe he may transition to playing some defensive end in the NFL. Watching some of his 2012 games, you probably won’t find many more 6’5″ 260 pound defenders who drop into coverage as much as this guy. He’s no lock-down cover linebacker by any means, but he is effective enough and his length allows him to knock down a lot of passes. In third down situations, Murphy has great explosiveness off the snap and gets to the quarterback with a strong, aggressive bull rush move. He doesn’t have elite bend around the edge but he gets there all the same. Heading into his senior season, he’s one of the top defenders in the nation. He looks like a potential first round pick if he can test well at the Combine, and watching him return a 40 yard INT for a touchdown against Washington, he may very well do that. This is an aggressive player who has a high motor and he has explosive ability off the edge.
Career Highlights (via Stanford athletics site)
2012 (Junior):Third-team Associated Press All-American started all 14 games and led the production of an historic Stanford defense…tied for 23rd nationally with 1.29 TFL/game…ranked 29th nationally with 0.71 sacks/game…led the Cardinal with 10.0 sacks (most since 2004) and 18.0 TFL (most since2000)…had four tackles, 1.5 TFL and 0.5 sack vs. UCLA (Pac-12 FCG)…made three tackles and one pass breakup at UCLA…recorded four tackles, one pass breakup and two fourth-quarter/overtime sacks at No. 1 Oregon…had three tackles and a pair of TFL vs. Oregon State…notched five tackles – 2.0 sacks for 17 yards and 2.5 TFL for 19 yards – in a win over Washington State…made a season-high 10 tackles at Notre Dame…returned first career interception 40 yards for a score at Washington…named a Butkus Award semifinalist…earned All-Pac-12 first team honors…recipient of team’s Jack Huston Award for exceptional performance and unheralded efforts.
2011 (Sophomore): Started all 13 games opposite Chase Thomas at outside linebacker…finished with 40 tackles, including 6.5 sacks among his 10.0 tackles for loss…recorded five stops in his first career start against San Jose State and followed up with a four-tackle effort the next weekend at Duke…had no more than three tackles in the next seven games before registering a career high 10 stops against Oregon, including nine solo efforts and 2.0 tackles-for-loss…credited with a season-high 1.5 sacks at Oregon State…his only tackle against Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl resulted in a sack of Brandon Weeden for a loss of nine yards on a third-and-five play early in the third quarter.
2010 (Freshman): Was limited to just two games due to injury…recorded two solo stops in the season opener against Sacramento State…saw action against UCLA but did not make another appearance the rest of the way.
Stats
Trent Murphy defensive stats via CFBStats.com
Video Highlights (via YouTube)