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The Green Bay Packers drafted Stanford Tackle Kyle Murphy in the 6th Round, the 200th pick overall. Murphy is the second Stanford offensive lineman taken in the 2016 draft. The San Francisco 49ers surprised some folks when they traded up to take Joshua Garnett in the first round Thursday night. Murphy joins his Stanford teammate Blake Martinez who was also selected by the Packers in this draft.
Murphy replaced Andrus Peat in 2015 for Stanford after Peat was selected by the New Orleans Saints a year prior. Murphy is stronger in pass protection than run blocking which can be appealing in a league that is increasingly reliant on the pass. Murphy, however, was not as dominant in college as many would have liked, and his quickness is an issue. Murphy was also overshadowed by all of the success and accolades of his teammate Joshua Garnett.
Our Own Tony Fernandes offered these two scouting reports:
"Murphy slid over to the Left Tackle position to take over the huge void left by 2015 1st round draft pick Andrus Peat and performed at an elite level for the Cardinal in 2015. Murphy performed extremely well in pass protection, and his run block ability improved dramatically throughout the season. The only knock on Murphy right now is that he is not the quickest of Tackles out there, and may not be able to perform in a few drills at the combine this week due to injury. Murphy is said to be more of a project, and may need a little "seasoning" before becoming a perennial contributor for a team. Scouts are interested to see how Murphy will perform in the strength portion as many believe that is a point of emphasis for if he is not the quickest, he will need to be strong as a Right Tackle to compliment any run game."
"Murphy is the other half of the dominant "Smash Brothers" combination that opened the holes for standout RB Christian McCaffrey last season. Murphy worked diligently the last few seasons and developed into a solid tackle that will be in demand at the next level. Murphy has been characterized as not being "athletically gifted", but if you see highlight tapes from the last season, you will see that whatever he may lack in athleticism - he makes up for it with his speed and tenacity. Murphy more than likely will not be a Left Tackle or "Blind Side" Tackle at the next level, but will surely be worth a look in the early rounds.
Projection - Late 3rd Round"
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