New England Patriots: Potential defensive targets in 2020 NFL Draft

Kenneth Murray – LB, Oklahoma

Kenneth Murray is the full package for a linebacker. He has intelligence, speed, power, and versatility at the position.

Murray is 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, and he is an absolute rocket getting through the offense and causing havoc in the backfield. His long arms and solid frame, along with his elite speed, allows him to play off the edge at times.

Murray has been a starter since his freshman year at Oklahoma. Upon declaring for the NFL Draft, Murray finished his career at Oklahoma with 325 tackles (36.5 for loss), 9.5 sacks, 6 passes defended, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 forced fumble.

As structured and dynamic as the Oklahoma defense is, he was all over the field, and was allowed to play quite freely sometimes.

In 2018, Murray was one of the best in the nation, finishing with 155 tackles. He understands how to read linemen and it makes him an elite blitzer. He finished his college career being named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2017), Second-Team All-Big 12 (2018), and First-Team All-Big 12 (2019).

You can never predict how the draft will go, but the New England Patriots should have a great chance to land Murray 23rd overall in this spring’s draft. He is a first-round talent that reminds me of one of the best linebackers in the NFL in Chandler Jones, whom the Patriots drafted in the first round back in 2012.