Sunday is going to be a rather memorable one for Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Byron Murphy II. The No. 16 overall pick from the 2024 NFL draft is about to play in the first regular season game of his career. But that is not the only think the former Texas Longhorn standout will celebrate:
Today is his birthday! Now that is a way to celebrate! Taylor Swift may be in Kansas City, but that isn’t going to stop Murphy from feelin’ 22 today.
The Seahawks drafted Murphy – arguably the best defensive tackle prospect in the draft this year – to help their abysmal run defense. For years, Seattle’s defensive front has been bullied early and often by almost every opponent’s rushing attack. By opting to stick with the No. 16 pick instead of trading back, the Seahawks sent a clear message they were serious about finally solving this issue.
Seattle will need Murphy to have quite the memorable performance today against the Denver Broncos. The Seahawks are favored, but Week 1 is always ripe for unexpected upsets. Not to mention the Broncos should be massively improved this season.
Denver will be led by Bo Nix, the first rookie quarterback to start Week 1 for the Broncos since John Elway in 1983. His experience at the collegiate level has him more uniquely NFL ready than your typical rookie signal caller. Seattle’s defensive front, led by Murphy and Leonard Williams, is going to have to get after Nix to disrupt Denver’s passing attack.