Oakland Raiders: Post-Combine 7-Round 2019 mock draft
Pick Analysis. Byron Murphy. CB. Washington. 24. player. 28. Scouting Report
Ideally, a defensive end would sit in this spot, but Montez Sweat went to the Detroit Lions at No. 8, thanks to a 4.41-second 40-yard dash time. The Seattle Seahawks chose Clelin Ferrell with the No. 21 overall pick. No need to panic, though.
There are two ways to stop the passing attack, pressure on the front end and coverage on the backside. This mock presented a tough decision at No. 24 between Greedy Williams and Byron Murphy.
Why did Murphy edge Williams? No, it’s not because of the combine workouts, though, the Washington product impressed during the position drills.
It’s not a secret that Williams is a lanky cover man, who stands 6-2, 185 pounds. There’s value in length, but the LSU product did have some blind spots in which he didn’t play the ball, which hurt his production last year.
Secondly, cornerback Gareon Conley took some criticism for poor tackling last season. According to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, Williams is a below-average tackler — that’s evident in his takedown technique. You draft cornerbacks to cover, but it’s not a good strategy to have two perimeter defenders who struggle in the tackling department.
Murphy provides a well-rounded skill set. He doesn’t have Williams’ length but still flourished as a playmaker on the ball, logging six interceptions and 20 pass breakups in 20 contests at Washington. The former Husky can step up, stick a running back into the ground and even log a stop in the backfield.
More importantly, because of his toughness, Murphy can line up on the inside if needed. Who’s to say 2018 fourth-rounder Nick Nelson pans out? Keep in mind the nickel cornerback profiles as a starter to combat the high use of three-wide receiver sets in today’s league.
Murphy’s footwork and awareness compensate for his average speed. Nonetheless, a sub-4.4 doesn’t compare to instincts and quickness coverage. The Washington product possesses the latter two traits in spades. He’ll pair well with Conley in the secondary as the more physical cornerback of the two.