The Los Angeles Chargers quietly made one of the better picks of the first round when they selected former Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray with the 23rd overall selection in the 2020 NFL draft.
Playing his college ball at Oklahoma allowed Murray to compete against some of the best talent around the nation. In 2019 alone, Murray was part of a Sooners defense that was tasked with playing against talented offenses such as LSU, Texas and Baylor just to name a few. Despite the high level of competition, Murray was one of the most productive defenders in all of college football. He totaled a ridiculous 325 tackles in three years at Oklahoma. It’s tough to find that sort of tackle production.
Murray is a patient, smart player. He understands how to read his keys and times his attack well. Murray has flashed a skill-set that fits what teams are looking for in today’s linebacker. He possesses sideline-to-sideline range and loves to attack offenses on the perimeter. He’s a four-down player that can play both against the run and in pass coverage. That’s the type of versatility teams are looking for from the linebacker position in today’s NFL.
The Chargers would like to see him do a better job of getting off blocks at the next level, but Murray has the wits and ability to develop this area of his game.
Murray is joining a very talented defense that already features game-wreckers such as Joey Bosa, Linval Joseph, Derwin James, Melvin Ingram III and Casey Heyward Jr just to name a few. Murray’s versatility and play-style should fit right in with the Chargers’ talented group of defenders.
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