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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Two linchpins of Texas‘ breakthrough 2023 season are leaving school early for the NFL draft.
Defensive lineman Byron Murphy II and star tailback Jonathon Brooks told ESPN in phone interviews Thursday that they intend to declare for the draft.
Murphy is the No. 4 overall defensive tackle on ESPN draft insider Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest positional rankings, and Brooks is the No. 1 tailback, even after he tore his ACL on Nov. 11. Brooks said he’s a month out of surgery from a clean tear, and the expectation is he’ll be healthy for NFL training camp.
Murphy said he’d been dreaming of this day since he was 5 years old, but added that the decision wasn’t difficult.
“It wasn’t really a hard decision,” he told ESPN. “I knew what I had to do on the field, and I did it.”
Brooks called it a “tough decision” and said he spent a lot of time consulting friends, family and his agent.
“Just the fear of not knowing if it would work out,” he said. “I made the best decision for myself going forward.”
Brooks began the season as the back-up but won the starting job and had a breakthrough season with 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns. He averaged 6.1 yards per carry.
He skyrocketed up draft boards with a spree of big games that included 218 yards against Kansas and 112 against Kansas State. That momentum came to a halt on Nov. 11 with his ACL tear.
Brooks told ESPN he is elated that his timetable projects him to be ready for next season. He said he’s walking without a brace or crutches.
“Just knowing I can be back in time to showcase to a team what I can do and bring to the table is really exciting,” he said.
Texas had two tailbacks picked in the top 115 picks last year: Bijan Robinson, who went eighth overall to the Atlanta Falcons, and Roschon Johnson, who went 115th to the Chicago Bears. Brooks said he leaned on both of them this year and through his decision to declare for the draft.
“They made sure I was good and they taught me a lot on and off the field as far as that goes,” he said. “How to go around the training room and how to treat people with respect. I learned my practice habits from them, and that went a long way to where I’m at this season.”
Murphy’s breakthrough 2023 season included first-team all Big 12 honors. He finished with 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. Entering the College Football Playoff, Murphy’s 12.9% quarterback pressure rate ranked as the highest rate for a defensive tackle in the FBS.
At 6-foot-1, 297 pounds, Murphy is athletic enough that he logged both a touchdown rushing and receiving this season after becoming a staple in goal-line packages.
“I’m a player that plays hard,” Murphy said. “I feel like I’m a game-changer. When there’s a play that’s needed to be made, I’m the type of guy to make that play. I’m a player you can depend on.
“I feel like I can play all three downs and I feel like I can stop the run and also rush the passer.”
Murphy said the draft will be a big moment for his family and thanked his parents, Seneca Murphy and Byron Murphy Sr., and entire family for supporting him.
“Man, I had an amazing three years at Texas,” he said. “Just playing on this stage. Unbelievable atmosphere, the fans and the culture. It’s truly a blessing to be a part of that and making history here the last three years. I’ll never forget the UT. I’ll forever be a Longhorn and forever grateful to be one.”
