Oklahoma LB Kenneth Murray
2019 stats: 14 games, 102 tackles (69 solo), 4.0 sacks, 17.0 tackles for loss, four passes defended
Height / Weight: 6'2" / 241 lbs
Accolades: Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year (2017), Second-Team All-Big 12 (2018), First-Team All-Big 12 (2019)
2020 NFL Draft prospect rankings: Daniel Jeremiah's Top 50 - #22
Giants current depth at LB: Blake Martinez, David Mayo, Ryan Connelly, Devante Downs, Josiah Tauefa, Nate Harvey, Mark McLaurin, Chris Peace
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah: Murray is an off-the-ball, run-and-hit linebacker. He is at his best when he's free to chase and make plays to the perimeter. He closes in a heartbeat and he is an explosive tackler. He struggles when he has to play off blocks and locate the football through the trash inside, as he doesn't use his hands and gets swallowed up. He has had some success dipping and slipping blocks. He is very athletic in coverage versus running backs, easily mirroring them in space. He is also a very dynamic blitzer. Overall, I believe Murray would be best served to play outside and off the ball, where he would be afforded clean sight lines to attack with his speed.
View photos of Oklahoma LB Kenneth Murray.
FILE - In this Dec. 7, 2019, file photo, Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) celebrates sacking Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer, not pictured, during the Big 12 Championship NCAA college football game, in Arlington, Texas. Murray was selected to The Associated Press All-Big 12 Conference team, Friday, Dec. 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade, File)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) during the Big 12 Championship game against Baylor Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) attempts to tackle Texas Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger (11) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018, in Dallas, Texas. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) celebrates sacking Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer, not pictured, during the Big 12 Championship game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in Arlington, Texas. Oklahoma won 30-23 in overtime. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) sacks Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer (12) during the Big 12 Championship game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in Arlington, Texas. Oklahoma won 30-23 in overtime. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) during an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma defensive lineman Marquise Overton (97), linebackers Kenneth Murray (9) and Caleb Kelly (19) tackle Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer (12) during the Big 12 Championship game Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in Arlington, Texas. Oklahoma won 30-23 in overtime. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer (12) throws past the defense of Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) during the first half of an NCAA college football game for the Big 12 Conference championship, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) covers Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard (30) during an NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) during an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) during an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) during an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) celebrates a tackle during an NCAA college football game against TCU in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) during an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) celebrates a tackle during an NCAA college football game against TCU in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) during an NCAA college football game against Iowa State in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma defensive lineman Ronnie Perkins (7), defensive tackle Jalen Redmond (31), linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) and linebacker Nik Bonitto (35) celebrate after a defensive play during an NCAA college football game against TCU in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) celebrates a tackle during an NCAA college football game against TCU in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) celebrates a tackle during an NCAA college football game against TCU in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) celebrates a tackle during an NCAA college football game against TCU in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma defensive lineman LaRon Stokes (96) and Kenneth Murray (9) sack TCU quarterback Max Duggan (15) in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray rushes during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kansas State Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) during an NCAA college football game against Iowa State in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Texas Tech's Ta'Zhawn Henry (26) is tackled by Oklahoma's Kenneth Murray (9) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Brad Tollefson)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) tackles Baylor running back JaMycal Hasty during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Waco, Texas, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019. (AP Photo/Ray Carlin)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) celebrates after a tackle during an NCAA college football game between UCLA and Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Baylor running back JaMycal Hasty (6) is chased down by Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray, right, during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game in Waco, Texas, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019. (AP Photo/Ray Carlin)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) celebrates after a tackle during an NCAA college football game between UCLA and Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) celebrates after a tackle during an NCAA college football game between UCLA and Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (9) walks off the field during an NCAA college football game between Army and Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018. Oklahoma won 28-21 in overtime. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Texas Tech running back Tre King (24) runs from Oklahoma defenders Kenneth Murray (9) and Caleb Kelly (19) in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein: Sleek, playmaking linebacker with chiseled frame and long arms. Murray's game is predicated on speed with an ability to fly around from sideline to sideline rolling up tackles. While his twitchy burst allows him to make more plays than the average linebacker, he will overflow to ball-carriers at times. Recognition of play development and ability to take on blocks are both underdeveloped currently, but a move to weak-side linebacker would put him in position to minimize those concerns and maximize his playmaking talent. Murray has hit-or-miss qualities and is more splashy than consistent, but he's immensely talented with the ability to imprint on games on all three downs.
ESPN's Mel Kiper: I said on the podcast recently that I really wanted to move up Murray into my top 25, and he has now made it into both of my early mock drafts. He is a chiseled specimen with great athleticism for his size. Murray can be a little stiff in coverage, but he has excellent diagnostic ability, and he flies to the football. I think he will improve in space with more reps; he was asked to be a tackling machine for the Sooners, who didn't have a ton of other defensive studs. Murray also showed that he can blitz, as he had 8.5 sacks over the past two seasons. He could be a linebacker in a 3-4 or 4-3 defense.
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