Arizona Cardinals Mock Draft: Retooling the Roster Around Franchise QB Kyler Murray

Round 1, Pick 5: Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson

It is no secret: the Arizona Cardinals need a high-end prospect to build around on the edge. Veteran JJ Watt is holding his own on the end of the three-man front, but he is an impending free agent. The two top rushers from the edge are rookies. Myjai Sanders and Cameron Thomas are solid rotational pieces, but neither guy brings the potential that Myles Murphy does.

Myles Murphy is built to rush the passer and terrorize backfields. Murphy stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 275 pounds, and with that build, the Clemson superstar has looked like an NFL player since his high school days. As you would expect, Murphy uses his thick mass to generate power as a pass rusher.

You will frequently hear the term “speed-to-power” when Myles Murphy comes up in NFL Draft discussions. Impressively, Murphy is a superb athlete and moves like a man that weighs significantly less than he does. The burst he gets off the snap allows him to push the offensive line on its heels, oftentimes resulting in a pocket that collapses around the quarterback.

Murphy’s arsenal of pass-rushing moves is expansive and will only improve with more experience. He has a natural bend around the edge that only Will Anderson rivals in his class. All Murphy needs to do to be an All-Pro caliber player in the NFL is become more consistent with his effort and sharpen his technique as a run defender.

Given his size and athleticism combo, the Cardinals would have the freedom to line Myles Murphy up with a hand in the dirt or as a stand-up pass rusher coming off the edge. For a team with 31 total sacks (inflated by seven vs. Denver this weekend), adding a former Clemson Tiger with 18.5 career sacks is exactly what the doctor ordered.