NFL Draft Prospect Breakdown: Kyler Murray

Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma

Strengths:

The talent of Kyler Murray starts with his athleticism and ability to make something happen on the run. Often he can turn nothing into a long run or bounce outside the pocket drawing defenders in only to hit a receiver on the run. He has a good arm that can make all the throws in the NFL, and at times he can make some unbelievable passes. Murray possesses the ability to whip the ball with great velocity in order to drive throws into tight windows. Murray has above average accuracy and is occasionally able to throw guys open with his ball placement. He works really well across the middle and on short and intermediate routes. Murray had flashes of reading his progressions well. His consistent footwork leads to solid accuracy across the board.

Weaknesses:

Murray’s obvious first weakness is his stature. He weighed in better at the combine than was expected, but he still stands at just 5’10”. Murray also has question marks regarding his decision making. He can be reckless at times throwing into tight coverage. He doesn’t usually throw with anticipation, often missing throws in windows. Murray’s improving at his reads, but still gets stuck on his first read way too often. He can rely on his speed and athleticism too much, passing up open receivers to bounce outside and scramble for it. Along with that, if Murray senses any pressure, he nails on the play and tries to pick up yardage with his legs. Murray also can hold the ball for too long inside the pocket. He needs to work to his deep ball accuracy and clean up his footwork.

Draft projection:

First Round Pick

Make no mistake, Murray will go very early in the 2019 NFL Draft. His electric playing style and ability to improvise with ease due to his athleticism will work nicely at the next level. He can make any throw on the field, even with an awkward release on the run. Murray may not shine from Day One, but he has an extremely high ceiling if he’s put in the right place. However, if Murray were in last years quarterback class, he would be behind Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, Baker Mayfield, and Josh Allen and would probably be viewed as a second rounder. But like I said, he has an extremely high ceiling that could lead to a very bright NFL future.