Baylor nets commitment from DT Byron Murphy

Another one of Texas' best defensive lineman is off the board.

On Friday, DeSoto (Texas) High School three-star tackle Byron Murphy put a pin in his recruitment by giving a commitment to Baylor. Colorado, Georgia Tech, Kansas, TCU, SMU, Texas Tech and Mississippi State were also finalists for the state's No. 64-ranked prospect.

"I think he will excel at the next level," DeSoto head coach Claude Mathis told Rivals. "Don’t let the height fool you because it’s not about his height; he is a player that can flat-out play. He is a football player and the colleges that saw this offered him. Last time I saw a player, I didn’t think his height was making a tackle nor handling business in the classroom!

"Baylor will get a baller and will represent their university with class. He is a flat-out player with a motor that never stops and I'm glad he plays for DeSoto!"

Murphy's commitment ups the total number of commitments in Baylor's 2021 class up to 16. The Dallas-area standout is the fourth defensive lineman and the second defensive tackle in the haul and is the highest-rated of the bunch. Entering the day, first-year head coach Dave Aranda had the Bears ranked inside the top-30 of the Rivals national team rankings.

“It became evident that Baylor University was the perfect fit for me once I established a relationship with Coach (Joey) McGuire, Coach (Dennis) Johnson and Coach Aranda. They continuously expressed to that I was missing piece of the defense and would be utilized on the field early. Considering the school’s academic excellence, the location (close to home) and the importance of my family being able to see me play; the decision became even more transparent. I was trying to wait for the COVID-19 to pass so I could take some official visits, but there is a possibility that may not happen and after my virtual with Coach McGuire and Coach Johnson; I knew I was ready to commit.”

“The decision was not difficult at all. Baylor coaching staff worked diligently to build a relationship with me, made me feel wanted, detailed their plan to develop me in college and prepare me for the next level. The school checked every box on my list.”

“It’s a great academic program. The coaches can develop me on and off the field and the opportunity to play early. It’s close to home with the ability for my family to attend games.”

“Coach McGuire, Coach Johnson, and Coach Aranda all did a great job in recruiting me. The vibes I get from the these coaches are: family, fun, brotherhood, accountability and I am ready to experience it all at the next level. Again, I think the most important thing they did during my recruitment was they made me a priority, expressed how important I was to the program and giving me the opportunity to play early. Some DeSoto alums also played a role in my recruitment.”

“Previously, I have only attended one game and I have not had the chance to tour the campus. However, the virtual visit was great and provided me with an idea of what it would be like on campus. The thing that most stood out to me during the virtual visit was the academic resources that they have in place to ensure an athlete’s success, the facilities and brotherhood displayed by the team.”

“Byron Murphy’s future at Baylor University will be filled with success academically and defensively. Baylor University is the school where I see myself developing because there I will be playing for a Head Coach that’s defensive minded, Head Coach and DL Coach who knows what it takes to win and in a 4-3 defensive scheme where I’ll have a chance to thrive.”

Murphy is a two-sport standout that is an All-State and All-District talent on the football field and also competes in track and field. Murphy has a personal-best shot-put throw of 38' 8" and is one of the most decorated defensive linemen in the Lone Star State.

As a junior for DeSoto, Murphy recorded 82 total tackle, including 36 solo stops, to go along with 12 TFL, four sacks, four forced fumbles, three quarterback hurries and three fumble recoveries. In the past two varsity seasons, Murphy has a combined five sacks, 21 TFL and 119 total tackles.

In terms of measurables, Murphy is a 3-technique that's a bit undersized at 6-foot-1 and 294 pounds. Height aside, he boasts a 5-second 40 time, a 4.66-second short shuttle and a 31.3-inch vertical.

Murphy brings position versatility to the Bears' defensive front and could find himself playing multiple roles for Aranda's three-man front or a four-man front, including defensive tackle and even spot duty at a 5-technique. He's cat-quick and powerful enough to absorb double- and even triple-teams. He's explosive off the ball and wildly agile to make plays behind the line of scrimmage or in the flats.

What Murphy lacks in overall size, he makes up for with disciplined, gap-assignment football, short-area quickness and sure tackling. He uses his hands well to cloud opposing quarterbacks' vision and brings a wealth of pass-rush moves to the table, including a promising swim move. He naturally finds himself at or around the football on any given snap.

Moving forward, Murphy will have to continue to work on adding strength, especially if he's going to play in a 3-4 defensive scheme. He'll be required to take on multiple blockers on every play, which means he'll need to continue to add strength to his game. His swim move is encouraging and he uses an array of different techniques to win in 1-on-1 situations, but he'll need to add more to his arsenal down the road.