Tag: Gabriel Murphy

Laiatu Latu highlights 3 UCLA players invited to NFL Scouting Combine

Three UCLA players have received invites to the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.

The UCLA Bruins football program is about to undergo a big change after DeShaun Foster was hired as the head coach to replace Chip Kelly.

However, a few UCLA football players are heading for the NFL and trying to make a mark in the 2024 NFL Draft. On Tuesday, the full list of players invited to the NFL Scouting Combine was released, and there are three UCLA players on the list:

  • Laiatu Latu
  • Darius Muasau
  • Gabriel Murphy

Latu is expected to be a surefire first-round pick and has been taken in the top 10 in some mock drafts, so he has a chance to move up even higher if he performs well at the Combine.

The Murphy twins made some noise at the East-West Shrine Bowl, but only Gabriel was invited to the Combine.

Darius Muasau is another play that has garnered attention this offseason, so all three UCLA players will have a lot of eyes on them at the Scouting Combine.

This year’s Combine is on February 26 through March 4 in Indianapolis.

2024 NFL draft: 6 defensive players for Chargers to watch at East-West Shrine Bowl

Here are six defensive players to keep an eye on for the Chargers at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Draft season kicks into high gear next week, with both the East-West Shrine Bowl and Reese’s Senior Bowl scheduled to be played in the following days. These events are widely regarded as the official beginning of draft season for NFL teams and media.

Here are six defensive players to keep an eye on for the Chargers in Frisco, TX.

The ‘What If…?’ Mock Draft: Cowboys, Bears swap Dak Prescott for Justin Fields

A thought exercise if Dallas and Dak Prescott can’t agree to an extension, how much he’d be worth in a trade, and then working with Chicago to upgrade both teams’ situations. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Marvel Comics Universe, better known as the MCU, has centered fictional characters for over a decade. Although it’s losing steam commercially over the last several years, One property has been able to recapture the magic, the two-season animated run of What If…?

What If,,,? is another comic convert, that takes well-known characters, but from alternate universes, and puts them in scenarios originally encountered by other heroes. We’re going to borrow this concept for a minute and walk an alternate universe path of what if the Dallas Cowboys were willing to hit the reset button on the franchise and trade Dak Prescott.

Prescott has a ridiculously high cap hit in 2024, along with both no-tag and no-trade clauses. The almost assured scenario is that not only will he return to Dallas for 2024, but he’ll do it as the league’s highest-paid QB.

But what if he didn’t?

What if the two sides are unable to work out an extension over the next 3-plus months and owner Jerry Jones hit the reset button? We already outlined all of the teams we believe would jump at the chance to acquire Prescott, and that list includes the Chicago Bears.

Mock drafts, especially ones in January, are as What If… as anything can get in sports. So before things get serious, we’ll use this iteration to play out a scenario where Dallas doesn’t hitch their wagon to Prescott and instead looks to find the next starting quarterback.

 

Texans should consider UCLA DE Gabriel Murphy in 2024 NFL draft

If the Houston Texans want to let Jonathan Greenard walk, UCLA DE Gabriel Murphy could be a younger option in the 2024 NFL draft.

The Houston Texans will have to make a decision with Jonathan Greenard. Either the Texans re-sign their former 2020 third-rounder at the end of the season, or they let Greenard test free agency. Given the defensive end is leading the team with 3.5 sacks, Greenard may be able to score a contract that Houston finds too pricey.

In the event Greenard gets away from the Texans, the organization has to be prepared, and UCLA defensive end Gabriel Murphy has to be a part of that contingency.

According to Trevor Sikkema from Pro Football Focus, the Bruin edge defender benefits from playing opposite Laiatu Latu, but Murphy’s complementary work is nonetheless noteworthy if a team is looking to collect pass rushers.

2023 is the second season of great pass-rush production from Murphy. The 6-foot-3, 255-pounder is used on both sides of the field — and sometimes even as an interior rusher — and it has yielded success. His 18.6% pass-rush win rate in 2022 has been bested by his 22.4% clip so far this season.

Murphy’s hand work is so good, often disengaging with blockers before they can even reach him and making sure they can’t get ahold of him as he attacks the outside or inside shoulders. Despite his 91.2 pass-rush grade this season, he isn’t getting the love his production warrants.

The Texans’ defense begins with the front. Having Murphy would allow the Texans to get younger at the position and also keep a veteran contract off their salary cap.

Through seven games, Murphy has generated 18 combined tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, and a pass breakup.

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