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Need met value Thursday night.
It's not exactly breaking news that the Bengals didn't disrupt the QB nearly enough last season. They were 29th in sacks. Myles Murphy should be able to help them disrupt the QB.
Murphy is just 21. I'm good handing him over to this coaching staff. And DE is a much more premium position than say, TE.
I don't recall any/many projections of Murphy even still being around at No. 28.
You can't go wrong investing in fast, strong, athletic, pass rushers. Dude's got an 81 inch wingspan. Giddyup. You can never have enough pitching in baseball and pass rushers and corners in football.
Bengals DL coach Marion Hobby is the former co-DC at Clemson. Nick Eason was with the Bengals during Zac Taylor's first two seasons and was Murphy's DL coach at Clemson last season. The Bengals hosted a pre-draft visit with Murphy.
The Bengals know the Clemson program. They also obviously selected Tee Higgins and Jackson Carman from Clemson.
I'm cool handing him to the mad scientist that is Lou Anarumo. Giving Lou defensive bodies to mix, match and rotate is a good thing. And if Lou says Murphy can be an interior pass rusher on passing downs this season, I believe him. In Lou, I trust.
The Bengals played the short game and long game with his selection. He offers them defensive help with a rookie contract when they are going to be spending big money keeping offensive weapons. And Trey Hendrickson will be 30 by 2024 and with a huge cap hit.
Amazing to think he's the first DL taken by the Bengals in the 1sy round since Justin Smith went No. 4 overall in 2001.