The Houston Texans may see linebacker as a need that has to be addressed in the 2020 NFL Draft.
According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, the Texans had a virtual visit with former Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Kenneth Murray. The 6-2, 243-pound communications major also had an actual visit setup with the Texans, but the COVID-19 pandemic nixed those plans for March 18.
The former Missouri City Elkins High School product, who made All-Big 12 in 2019 as a junior, also had visits scheduled with the Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, and Arizona Cardinals.
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (Elkins) also had a video conference with the hometown Texans. He was scheduled to visit the Texans on March 18, but that was canceled. Other visits canceled include: Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Arizona Cardinals
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 10, 2020
Murray would fit in well with some of the coaches and players at NRG Park as the 21-year-old sees football as a lifestyle, not just as a recreation.
“I think that’s why the game means so much to me, because there are so many life lessons that you learn through the game of football,” Murray said at the NFL Scouting Combine in February in Indianapolis. “And there’s so many life lessons that you only learn from football that you can use outside on anything really.”
The Texans could use another credible edge rusher, especially at outside linebacker. Currently, the Texans have Whitney Mercilus as their best threat as a pass rusher, and the former 2012 first-round pick finished with 7.5 sacks in 2020. Jacob Martin, Brennan Scarlett, and Duke Ejiofor, who is returning from an Achilles injury, are also expected to bring pressure off the edge for Houston in 2020.
What Murray could also bring to the Texans’ linebacking corps is intelligence as he feels it is the most underrated aspect of his game.
Said Murray: “I just think a lot of times people don’t really understand my intelligence. I feel like sometimes people may question if I see things a certain way and don’t really, truly understand the scheme that we have in place.”
Walter Football has Murray projected as a first-round pick. The Texans’ first selection of the draft is at 40th overall early in the second round. Houston would have to hope Murray fell that far, or package a deal to trade and move up.