04-28-2023, 05:31 PM
(04-28-2023, 03:33 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: My first chance to react to the Murphy pick.
The guy is very young, very fast, very strong and very smart. That's a pretty awesome combination and why he was considered to be a top 15 talent by many. The issue is that he has yet to be able to put everything together on a consistent basis.
When you go watch his game play, you can see why some think he can be great and why some have concerns. When he's on his game, he can look insanely good, focused, composed and able to take over a game...but at other times it looks like they just threw him out there and said go, and what followed was confusion, over pursuing, bad positioning and poor recognition.
Coaching is going to be a huge factor in his development because there is definitely work to be done, in a few areas of his game...but all the issues are correctable and he has everything a DE needs to be great, which is exciting.
If Lou and Hobby can get him to perform more consistently, with improved awareness and a couple more pass rush moves...they could end up with a stud D-lineman. Overall, at pick 28, it's a helluva value and if he hits...it will probably be in a big way.
Pretty fair analysis and summary. Looking at his ceiling does inspire a lot of optimism. Lord knows the Bengals need to greatly upgrade their QB pressures and sacks, since they were almost at the bottom of the league in both. And someone who can stop the run as well, given the teams in the NFC north, is also pretty vital.
I think some of the initial surprise at the pick was because Murphy plays a position where he's not going to unseat the two veterans there: Hendrickson and Hubbard. That he is a quality player and great value pick is without question. But there is a question regarding how much he will improve the team this year versus a selection at a position where a first-round draftee could offer an immediate positional upgrade.
But the top RBs were gone, the draft has a lot quality TEs, and, as some said, Porter's style of play may not fit the Bengals scheme. And maybe he will have an immediate impact on the defense. And if he does hit, as you say, they could end up with a stud D-lineman for the next five years.
