From now until the 2020 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to showcase as many prospects as possible and examine both their strengths and weaknesses. Most of these profiles will feature individuals that the Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to have an interest in, while a few others will be top-ranked players. If there is a player you would like us to analyze, let us know in the comments below.
#92 Larrell Murchison / IDL N.C. State – 6023 294
The Good
- Experience playing all along the defensive line
- Good hand placement and hand strength to control blocker
- Good leverage when power rushing
- Good motor rushing the QB
- Ability to stack and shed blockers
- Strong tackler at the point of contact
The Bad
- Squatty four point stance limits explosiveness at snap
- UOH hands to limit when blockers get a hold of him
- Lacks quickness to play in 1 gap defense
- Quickness at the snap to beat blocker to the spot vs the run
- Pursuit across and downfield
- 2019 – 5.5 of his sacks came in 2 games
Bio
- Career – 80 tackles, 38 Solo, 20 TFL, 11 sacks, 1 INT, 4 PD, 3 FR
- 2019 – 48 tackles, 24 solo, 12 TFL, 7 sacks, 2 PD, 2 FR
- Transfer from Louisburg College(North Carolina)
- 2 year starter, 25 games
- 2018 – Earned the team’s Cary Brewbaker Award for Defensive Lineman of the Year
- Has a twin brother, Farrell, played RB at Winston Salem State
- Senior Bowl Invitee
- Major – Sports management
Tape Breakdown
A two year starter after transferring to North Carolina State, Larrell Murchison is a player who wore many hats along the defensive line. He has played in three and four man fronts and was used from the 0 tech out to the 5 tech. After playing primarily inside in 2018 he played mostly defensive end in 2019 and kicked inside on passing downs.
Against the pass, his get off at the snap was solid when given the chance to get after it but was often asked to contain rush, not forcing pressure but trying to keep the QB in the pocket. When he fires out he has good leverage and hand placement. He’ll vary his pass rush move with the rip being most effective but showed a club, bull, swim and long arm as well. He has a good motor in the pocket and showed good explosiveness to the QB once free. He gets his hands up when the rush isn’t getting there and has solid screen recognition.
Vs Virginia he is lined up across from the left guard and will use a nice rush combination with a club/swim to a long arm to drive the guard back and get the sack.
Vs Virginia, lined up over the center he’ll uses a club to beat the center and get the sack.
He used a squatty four point stance that limited his ability to really fire out at the snap and his steps are choppy rushing from the edge instead of pressing up field. He needs to improve his use of hands to keep the hands of blockers off of him. He gets wide on twists and stunts and needs improve coming off the hip of the penetrator.
Against the run, he shows good balance and hand placement with a good anchor to stalemate in one on one blocks. When playing in a two gap scheme, he has good hand strength to control the blocker and has a solid ability to shed blocker. He shows very good effort vs double teams to fight though the two blockers and was solid digging in his heals and anchoring. Versus Zone runs he has solid quicks to contend with reach blocks and works hard to stay in position. He’s a strong tackler able to wrap up and take down runners at the point of contact.
At Florida State, he is the left DE and uses good hand placement and leverage to push back the RT and shed to make the tackle.
Vs Clemson, he is the LDE and will hold his ground vs the RT and then sheds and fires through to make the tackle.
At Georgia Tech, he is at the RDE. He hands fire out and he works to get inside the left tackle and works down the line for the tackle.
His quickness at the snap to beat blockers to the spot may be a product of his stance and may improve in a 3 point stance. He didn’t show the quickness to penetrate in one gap schemes and was often just pushed out of the gap. His pursuit is adequate overall running warm and cold especially across and downfield.
Vs Clemson, he’s lined up over the center and here is a look at his pursuit. He’ll stalemate with the center and the RB breaks to the outside. He jogs in that direction and turns it on late. A good pursuit could have saved 5 yards.
Murchison has some quality traits that you like to see including hand placement, leverage, motor within the pocket and ability to shed to make tackles. I’d like to see him in a 3 point stance to let him fire out, keep him inside in the 0 – 3 tech area and he’d best fit in a two gap system. He should be able to contribute right away in the defensive line rotation and eventually become a starter that can be uses on all downs.
Projection: Early day 3
Games Watched: 2018 – Vs Virginia; 2019 – At Florida State, Vs Syracuse, Vs Clemson, At Georgia Tech
