Tennessee Titans: Shaun Calderon’s 2020 NFL Draft full breakdown
Round 5, pick 174
Larrell Murchison DL, NC State
The Titans got an extremely great value selection at a position of need when they selected NC State’s Larell Murchison with the 174th pick in the fifth round.
He is an extremely high effort player that brings energy on every snap similarly to what Kyle Vanden Bosch would bring to Tennessee back in the day. His motor is full throttle at all times, he keeps his hands busy and he flashes an arsenal of moves in order to occasionally shed blocks and make plays behind or near the line of scrimmage.
https://twitter.com/theACCDN/status/1254137705438621697
He might not be fundamentally sound at all times but his unique athleticism for someone that size often allows him to mask some of his deficiencies. In terms of the explosiveness needed for a penetration-style role, he checks every box while also offering upside as a five-tech as well.
NFL scouts are always looking for players that consistently get better each year and @PackFootball DT Larrell Murchison is that guy. Interior DL with pass rush ability don’t grow on trees and @Murchboy92 is coming off a 3.5-sack game vs. Florida State. #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE pic.twitter.com/TJ4u2PPePR
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) October 11, 2019
Murchison makes a living as a gap shooter and has a knack for finding the football and sifting through traffic in pursuit of the ball carrier. Murch was named NC State’s Defensive Lineman of the Year and Most Improved Player awards after a dominant 2018 campaign. He can be inconsistent with his pad level at times as he displayed a plethora of times against West Virginia, this causes him to get squared up and moved out of the way too easily.
His motor is always a 100 MPH but there are plenty of times where his hands are more active than they are effective. His best move is easily his rip and swim move, he displays dynamic range to throw hands off his opponent’s chest without impeding his momentum.
You can appreciate the effort and urgency that his hands display at all times, but there are too many counter moves that fail because he is trying to do too much. Fortunately for him, that is something that he can improve with more deliberate and advanced coaching that he will get at the next level. Especially with someone as hands-on as Mike Vrabel is.
Murch will also need to improve the flexibility in his hips, and entire lower body for that matter in order to efficiently move laterally at the NFL level. Ultimately, The value Murchison possessed that late in the draft, combined with his raw potential, far outweighed the risks that he has at the moment.
Murchison’s versatility makes him an intriguing option for this Titans defense that uses multiple alignments. However, he must grow from a technical standpoint if he plans on consistently becoming part of their rotation anytime soon.