Murphy hauling in offers

You wouldn't know it by glancing at his offer list, but 2016 defensive back Byron Murphy is slowly inching his way through this whole recruiting thing. The Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro junior already holds six scholarship offers. Schools such as UCLA, Ohio State, Texas A&M and Arizona State have already made things official.

Still, the four-star prospect is new to this world. His two visits have been to in-state programs. And while he certainly has interest in the other schools that are pursuing his services, he also likes what he's seen locally. It's early, sure, but if first impressions matter …

"Right now, ASU are the coaches I know the most. It's not just the hometown thing," Murphy said. "I went to their camp because our passing league was there and I really got to know those coaches better than the other staffs. I really like Coach [Mike] Norvell ."

Murphy's only other summer visit went to Arizona, a program to which he also seems to have taken a bit of a shine. Visits don't figure in too heavily at this early juncture and the post-visit takes are all cliché, but getting Murphy on campus early certainly can't hurt.

"I loved it down there. The campus was really good. I loved U of A. The coaches were really nice."

With the exception of a spur-of-the-moment in-state trip or two, Murphy says he's finished taking visits until next offseason. Still, that's not to say he isn't exploring options. There's next to no possibility that Murphy's recruitment slows anytime in the immediate future. It's a fact with which the four-star prospect is just coming to terms.

"I've been talking a lot to Kansas and UCLA," Murphy said. UCLA already offered. I think either Tennessee or Kansas will be the next offer."

Murphy, who transferred to Saguaro from Tempe (Ariz.) Marco de Niza following last season, racked up 60 tackles and made three interceptions as a sophomore a year ago.