Byron Murphy II doesn’t remember the first time he heard it. But the former Texas defensive tackle is no stranger to the term.
“I’ve heard it — and I think it’s awesome to be called a ‘Freak,'” Murphy said. “It’s a blessing.”
Of course, “freak” is an endearing term in an athletic context, and one reserved for the special athletes who are truly different.
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Every summer, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman shines a light on the college football players who best fit that description for his annual Freaks List. Murphy made the cut for the 2023 edition, thanks to his weight-room feats and GPS numbers. He backed up the recognition with a breakout 2023 season that now has him projected as a mid-first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Murphy was ranked No. 15 on my pre-combine draft board.
Compared to the other defensive tackles in this year’s class, Murphy plays different — the twitch in his hips and lower body are different; the power throughout his 300-pound frame is different; and the way he can quickly break down the rhythm of blockers to disrupt the run or pass is different.
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Murphy’s athletic evolution started in the Dallas suburb of DeSoto. Throughout pee-wee and youth football, he was both the running back who couldn’t be stopped and the linebacker no ball carrier wanted to meet in the hole.
“I’ve always been athletic, I just got big over time,” Murphy said. “I used to really shake dudes out of their shoes. I’d put moves on guys and do all types of crazy things.
“I was a stud growing up. And I never lost my athleticism.”
In those days, Murphy had no intention of moving to the defensive line. As a sophomore starting middle linebacker at powerhouse DeSoto High School, though, his coaches introduced a third-down pressure package that brought Murphy down to the defensive line. It worked too well because the coaches quickly made the move permanent.
At first, Murphy wasn’t excited about the transition (and neither were his parents). Now? Murphy proudly admits it was best for him.
The next summer, Murphy, at age 16 and up to 276 pounds, received an invite to The Opening Regional in Dallas. There, he tested in the 98th percentile of all athletes at the event.
As a senior at DeSoto, while he continued adding weight and developing his athleticism, Murphy finished with a school-record 14.0 sacks — breaking the previous mark held by the program’s top NFL alum, Von Miller.
A four-star recruit, Murphy originally committed to Baylor before flipping to Texas. Once he stepped foot in Austin, the whispers got louder about the “freak” freshman in the defensive line room. After waiting his turn during his first two years, Murphy became a starter this past season as a junior and led the team with 45 pressures. According to PFF, his 19.6 percent pass-rush win percentage ranked No. 1 among all FBS interior linemen.
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Tape? Check. Production? Check. All that’s left for Murphy is his athletic testing — and the combine might be where he shines brightest.
Currently training at EXOS Performance Training in Frisco, Texas, Murphy plans to do every drill this week in Indianapolis. Now at 300 pounds (pending the combine’s official measurements), he has ambitious goals for his testing numbers.
His 40-yard dash goal is to be in the 4.8-second range. In the three-cone, he is shooting for 7.2 seconds. And in the bench press, he wants “at least” 35 reps.
That is what “freaky” looks like.
15 more prospects I’m eager to see work out in Indianapolis
(Note: This list could have been 100 players deep, but I did my best to narrow it down. I also didn’t include a few names, like Iowa’s Cooper DeJean or Illinois’ Jer’Zhan Newton, who won’t be testing as they return from injury.)
Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
A top-three prospect on my top 100, Nabers has the acceleration of a 4.3 athlete on film, and it will be interesting to see if he backs that up with his 40-yard dash. There is already a debate for some NFL teams about the true WR1 in this draft, so with Marvin Harrison Jr. reportedly electing not to test during the pre-draft process, impressive testing from Nabers will only help his chances of being the first non-quarterback drafted.
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Kris Jenkins, DT, Michigan
Jenkins should be one of the “winners” of this year’s combine. He has a much different body type than his 360-pound Pro Bowl father, who was a 2001 second-round pick of the Panthers. At around 295 pounds, the younger Jenkins has the muscle twitch and movements that should translate to impressive times in the short shuttle and three-cone drill. The tape is inconsistent; his college production was unimpressive. But as Jim Harbaugh described him in the 2023 Freaks List, Jenkins is the “mutant of all mutants.”
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Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
Mitchell ran a hand-timed 4.39 40-yard dash for NFL scouts in the spring, and with a few months of draft prep, I expect that number to be sub-4.35 at the combine. His senior season put him in the first-round mix, and his Senior Bowl performance only continued that momentum. Mitchell enters combine week as my CB2 and No. 11 prospect — and his testing numbers should reinforce that high ranking.
Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
LSU’s Malik Nabers is WR2 (behind Harrison) and my No. 3 overall player, but Odunze would be WR1 in a lot of other draft classes. You don’t watch his film and come away thinking he is a burner, but his route acceleration is impressive, which isn’t too surprising considering his track times from high school. At 215 pounds, I think Odunze is going to test better across the board than most are expecting, which could cement his status as a top-10 pick.
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My vote is easy: WR Rome Odunze.
Outstanding size/speed athlete (6027v, 217v) with plus body coordination and ball skills to win the catch point. This is a 1st round WR. pic.twitter.com/IWyRSj2Fza
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) October 13, 2023
Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
Based just on tape, Mims might be the freakiest player in the entire draft — and it will be interesting to see if the testing data agrees. He has a massive frame (6-7, 330) with long arms, and the Georgia coaches said he had one of the lowest body fat percentages on the roster. His former teammates called him a “future Hall of Famer,” because of his rare mix of movement skills and play strength at his size.
Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
Because of Wiggins’ sudden twitch and speed, I put a huge grade on him in the summer (No. 12 in my preseason top 50). I dropped him a little bit throughout the season, however, because of some of the questions about his physicality. But with his size (expected to be around 6-2, 190), Wiggins should show out in the 40-yard dash and the short-area drills that highlight his athletic gifts. Wiggins is a first-round pick — it’s just a matter of how high he will go.
Clemson CB Nate Wiggins has the goods.
– Quiet, controlled feet
– Fluid transition at the break
– Reacts to route w/ zero panic
– Attacks the receiver's leverage pic.twitter.com/syQG35lyE5— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) December 14, 2023
Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU
His college tape is promising, but inconsistent. And his week at the Senior Bowl was solid, but not dominant. However, the combine should be where Suamataia shines. At 325-plus pounds, he is expected to run under 5 seconds in the 40-yard dash and has a chance to create a buzz for himself. Teams are split on how early Suamataia, who just turned 21, should be drafted.
Cooper Beebe, G/C, Kansas State
Though he moves well on tape, Beebe is better known for his technique and play strength than his top-tier athleticism. However, I saw his pre-combine training with my own eyes, and it is a good bet he surprises people with his testing numbers in Indianapolis. I am also interested to find out his “official” arm length. If the over/under is 32 inches, I’m probably taking the under.
Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
When studying Alabama’s two outside corners, McKinstry and Terrion Arnold, the latter clearly separated himself as the more athletic and competitive — which earned him CB1 status in my rankings. (Arnold should test off the charts, too.) McKinstry, meanwhile, is a good enough athlete, but does he have 4.45 speed or 4.55 speed? Cornerback is a stopwatch position, so his testing will be a key variable in his draft profile.
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Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State
Among the pass rushers, the most explosive first step in this draft class belongs to Robinson, and that should translate to the 10-yard split (the first 10 yards of the 40-yard dash). Anything in the range of 1.55-1.60 seconds for that split would be a great time, but a number in the 1.4s feels possible. Robinson isn’t as well-rounded as Jared Verse or as skilled with his hands as Laiatu Latu, but his initial burst could separate him from the pack for several teams.
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Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
A former basketball player for Tom Izzo at Michigan State, Coleman has big-man twitch and leaping skills, which help him dominate at the catch point. But how fast will he run? How will he test in the short-area drills? For a receiver that lacks route polish to consistently uncover against NFL cornerbacks, Coleman needs to be impressive with his testing.
Keon Coleman: 6-4, 215.
A small forward in cleats. pic.twitter.com/uonQS5NMQE
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) February 19, 2024
Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State
No. 43 on my top 100, Hicks had to bow out of the Senior Bowl because of an ankle sprain, but he’s expected to be full-go for the combine. Projected to come in around 6-2, 215, he has a good chance to get into the 4.4s in the 40-yard dash, and I’m eager to see his pedal and transition quickness during drills. Hicks is in the mix to be the first safety drafted this year.
Andru Phillips, CB, Kentucky
When I placed Phillips at No. 69 on my recent top 100, I received a few “surprised to see him that high” texts from buddies in the league — but also a few “stop pumping him up, keep him quiet” type of replies. Phillips won’t wow with his size (5-11, 191), and he didn’t have a ton of ball production in college. But his tape shows an instinctive, aggressive player (similar to Roger McCreary). If he runs his 40-yard dash in the 4.4s with strong explosive numbers, he will help himself. Phillips won the state championship in the triple jump (49 feet, 4 inches) as a high school senior.
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Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan
A former high school state gold medalist sprinter, Wilson can straight-up fly, and his 10.68-second 100 meters translates well to the football field. He also has the light feet and short-area quickness to be a blur in the three-cone drill and short shuttle. No. 45 on my top 100, Wilson created buzz for himself in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, and I expect that to continue in Indianapolis.
Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami
“Is he fast enough?” — that is the main question scouts have been asking all season when it comes to Kinchens. He has range and breaks on throws quickly with his aggressive eyes. plays with physicality, and scouts like his football character. But how Kinchens tests will play a factor in where he is ultimately drafted.
(Top photo of Byron Murphy II: Nick Tre. Smith / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)