Murphy was a little used reserve his first two seasons on the field with the Gators, but broke through as a junior last year. He caught 37 passes for 548 yards and five touchdowns last year after totaling just two catches for 42 yards and one touchdown during his first two seasons. As a senior Murphy caught 36 passes for 611 yards and six touchdowns.
Strengths
Murphy has a nice blend of size, athleticism, and speed. He has good height and has the body control to be able to go up and get the football against a defender. He is tough and shows the ability to cross the middle and get physical with defensive backs. Murphy’s best trait is his speed, which allows him to make big plays on a regular basis. If there is any daylight, he has the speed to outrun the defense and is a big threat vertically.
Weaknesses
Murphy is a bit raw and will have only two years of playing experience when he makes the jump to the NFL. Florida receivers are a bit behind the curve because of their offense, so he will have a lot of work ahead of him developing his route running skills. Murphy has very good straightline speed but he is not a player that will make defenders miss. It takes him an extra step to get back to top speed when he changes direction.
Future
Murphy is a solid prospect because of his size and ability to run past defenders. He has some upside left and with some work could be a very good pro wide receiver. Underclassmen declaring have had a big impact on the draft. All the potential first round picks at the position are early entrants and that has pushed guys like Murphy down the board a bit. He had a very good showing at the combine, clocking a 4.43 at 6'2 203, and the potential he has could allow him to come off the board in the third round area.