Here’s one name to keep in mind once the later rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft roll around next Saturday: McKay Murphy.
Murphy, a Football Championship Subdivision product from Weber State, is an interesting prospect for two reasons: 1) he’s the son of seven-time Major Leauge Baseball All-Star Dale Murphy, and 2) he reportedly is being evaluated both as a defensive player and as an offensive player ahead of the draft.
The New England Patriots are among the many teams that have expressed interest Murphy, a source told WEEI.com’s Ryan Hannable on Wednesday. A Patriots scout pulled Murphy aside during Weber State’s pro day last month, according to Brandon Garside of the Standard-Examiner.
Interest in Murphy, who played on the defensive line in college, picked up considerably following his pro day performance, during which he ran a 4.81-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-4, 295 pounds. A shoulder strain limited him to 23 reps on the bench press, but he said he’s pumped out close to 40 in the past.
“A couple of weeks ago when we tested, I did 39,” Murphy told the Standard-Examiner. “I was hoping to hit 40 today. That’s just talk now. Unfortunately, I couldn’t prove it. If someone wants to see it that bad, I’ll send them a video on Instagram.”
Murphy was a full-time defensive tackle at Weber State, but teams reportedly have worked him out at offensive line, fullback and tight end, as well as D-line. It’s unclear where the Patriots envision him playing at the NFL level, but head coach Bill Belichick certainly values versatility.
As a senior in 2017, Murphy tallied 40 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and four sacks, earning first-team All-Big Sky honors. His best game of the season (six tackles, 3 1/2 tackles for loss, one sack) came in a September loss to Cal, Weber State’s lone Football Bowl Subdivision opponent.
Murphy’s offensive accomplishments were minimal: He caught two passes in his collegiate career, one on a fake punt and one on a two-point conversion.
At 26, Murphy is much older than a typical draft prospect. He served a two-year LDS mission after high school and then redshirted at Utah before landing at Weber State in 2014.
