2020 NFL Draft: LB Kenneth Murray Scouting Report

Background

When researching Murray’s background before Oklahoma, what you find is akin to peeling an onion. Once you have one layer uncovered you suddenly find a new layer waiting to be explored. And while this may be true of all people, Murray’s background shows a level of maturity, experience and depth-of-character far exceeding the average 21-year old college student.

Where to even begin? Let’s start with his family, which defines a lot of his life and helped shape him into the leader he is today. In an interview with The Oklahoman, Murray says “My family is my why. The reason why I do things. The reason why I go so hard”. And while this may be an empty platitude for some players, Murray walks the walk.

After every Oklahoma game, Murray carries his little brother James, who comes with his family to see Murray play. 11-year old James is just one of three adopted siblings that Murray has looked after since he was 10-years old. Nyia, Lenny and James were all adopted by the Murray patriarch, pastor Kenneth Murray Sr, when our linebacker was just a kid himself.

https://twitter.com/Ravens/status/1233133146159427590

All three siblings have special needs, born with a rare genetic abnormality that hampers their growth and cognitive development. The Murray’s brought them in as foster parents and eventually adopted them rather than see the children split up.

From the beginning, Murray kept the three siblings close, looking after them as if they were his own children. “I tell people all the time I feel like I raised three kids already, just being the oldest out of all of them, having to be able to take care of them, help my parents,” Murray says, in an article published by the Green Bay Packers media.

Another instance showing Murray’s character revolves around an incident that happened in 2019. Murray was driving home from church with his girlfriend when he came across a woman, lying on the side of the road, slipping in and out of consciousness. Murray rushed to give the woman CPR, according to OUDaily.

In an interview with ESPN’s Sportscenter, Murray discusses what helped him prepare for the incident. Listen to his response at the 4:50 mark of the video below.

After the woman was stabilized and under a paramedics care, Murray left the scene, not wanting to draw attention to his status as a star player on the local college football team. The story may have never been told, had not a fellow Oklahoma student who worked for the school paper been there and reported the story. In the OUDaily story, Murray’s father comments “He’s not a big credit person. He’s not looking for any glory or anything of that nature”.

As a full-time student and linebacker, how did Murray even find the time to learn CPR? Oh, just from being a counselor at a community center for disadvantaged communities affiliated with his father’s church. In the summer Murray counsels with R.E.A.C.H (Restoring Educating Adults and Children with Hope) in Texas, which is where he learned how to do CPR.

Even if this information isn’t important to understanding Murray as a player, it is important in understanding Murray as a human being. From a very young age, Murray was asked to take on a responsibility that would be hard for most adults. And out of this sacrifice came a man with an incredible capacity for compassion, while also using his sibling’s struggles as motivation to be the best player he can be. In the same Packers article referenced earlier, Murray explained how his adopted siblings impact how he plays football.

"“It makes me want to go out there and give it my best every time because literally on an everyday basis I see two little brothers who can’t do what everybody else can do.”"

Murray is a well-rounded human being. But that depth-of-character is only just the start when it comes to Murray as a football player.