Re: Pace Murphy.. another long shot survives the cut

#72 OT/G PACE MURPHY 6'6 296 lbs (Turns 24 on 05/15/5017)


[www.nsudemons.com]
2015 USA College Football Preseason All-American List, Second Team, Offensive Tacklee
2015 Pre-Season All-Southland Conference First-Team OL
2014 Southland Conference Second Team, Left Tackle
2014 Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-Louisiana College Football Team, second-team Offensive Lineman
2014 Southland Conference Commissioner’s Fall Honor Roll

2014 Season: Left tackle who graded out as NSU’s top lineman in 10 games … top grades include 94 percent in 67 plays vs. Nicholls, 88 percent in 86 plays vs. Sam Houston State, 83 percent in 76 plays against Abilene Christian, 80 percent in 78 plays against Louisiana Tech and 80 percent in 90 plays against Southeastern Louisiana … one of only two returning Demons with at least 20 career starts after starting all 12 games.

2013 Season: Played in every game, including seven starts … earned an 85 percent grade on 40 snaps against Southern … played 81 snaps and received a 79 percent at Sam Houston State … 79 percent grade on 19 snaps against Central Arkansas … 71 percent grade on 83 snaps at UAB.

2012 Season: Appeared in four games … 100 percent grade on four snaps against Nicholls State … grades of 66 percent on three snaps each against Nevada and Arkansas-Monticello.

High School: Two-time second-team 19-5A All-District … academic all-district his senior year … named co-captain of the football team senior year … lettered in football (3) and basketball (2) … also played golf and lacrosse … played left tackle on varsity squad three years … coached by Ron Counter … member of the Extreme Anglers club and played tuba in the band … graduated with a 3.1 GPA.

[www.nsudemons.com]
NATCHITOCHES – Undrafted free agents fight immense odds to survive each NFL preseason roster cut, and few make it to opening day. But Saturday, another Northwestern State Demon did.

Rookie offensive tackle Pace Murphy made the 53-man Los Angeles Rams active roster when head coach Jeff Fisher announced the team's final round of cuts. While that was surprising news to most NFL observers, two other NSU products, veterans Jeremy Lane (Seattle) and Deon Simon (New York Jets), made their teams as expected, giving the Demons three players active as the NFL kicks off next weekend.

Two other former Demon players are NFL coaches. Bill Johnson is the New Orleans Saints defensive line coach, while Barry Rubin is the strength coach for Kansas City. NSU's offensive coordinator in 2013, Robby Brown, is in his second year as an offensive quality control assistant with the Jets.

Another pair of NSU standouts are playing in the Canadian Football League this season. Cornerback Imoan Claiborne, a 2014 All-American for the Demons, is with the Ottawa RedBlacks after spending part of last season in the NFL on the practice squad for Tampa Bay, while 2014 senior receiver Bryant Mitchell is in action for the Edmonton Eskimos.

Murphy became the latest in a series of former Demons to make an NFL regular-season roster as an undrafted free agent, including pro legends Charlie Hennigan and Charlie Tolar. This century, NSU standouts such as receiver Nathan Black, running back Tony Taylor and linebacker Isaiah Greenhouse have made the difficult journey to NFL sidelines.

NSU coaches had gotten encouraging reports from Rams personnel since Murphy signed with the team following the 2016 NFL Draft in late April, including a couple of weeks ago when a Rams scout visited the Demons' preseason workouts.

nfldraftscout ( Rated #66 out of 108 OT's )

[www.sportstalkflorida.com]
Dolphins Among Multiple Teams Interested In OT Pace Murphy

Apr 26, 2016 5:21pm
Pace Murphy played his college football at Northwestern State which is a member of the Southland conference. Northwestern State is a FCS school but he fared well when he played against FBS schools. At 6-foot-6, 300 pounds, Murphy has the strength to maul defensive linemen in the run game. He also possesses the lateral quickness necessary to mirror defensive ends in the passing game.

Pace Murphy played his college football at Northwestern State which is a member of the Southland conference. Northwestern State is a FCS school but he fared well when he played against FBS schools. At 6-foot-6, 300 pounds, Murphy has the strength to maul defensive linemen in the run game. He also possesses the lateral quickness necessary to mirror defensive ends in the passing game.

Murphy played in four games as a true freshman, but as a sophomore, he played in every game collecting seven starts on the season. As a junior, he graded out as the teams best lineman while starting 12 games at left tackle. In 2015 Murphy wrapped up a stellar career at Northwestern State. Murphy was subsequently invited to the Regional Combine in New Orleans Louisiana and performed admirably. Before attending he knew his numbers would stack up pretty well compared to testing numbers from previous years -- and he was right.

Murphy ran 5.00 seconds in the 40-yard dash, and showcased the lateral quickness he regularly put on display on Saturdays. Following his performance at the Regional Combine, NFL teams recognized his physical tools, but they were also enamored with his versatility. Murphy is capable of learning any position along the offensive line.

I asked Murphy about the positions he's capable of playing and he said, "I've been working at guard and I've also been working center -- snapping and getting used to that. ...The more positions I play the more valuable it will make me. I've been trying to make sure I play each position fluently and properly with all of the technique and angles."

Murphy's coaches at Northwestern State, at times felt as though they were teaching just four offensive linemen their assignments because he always knew what was expected of him and required very few instructions. Murphy's ability to quickly absorb what his coaches are asking of him is something he hopes to bring to the NFL.

Murphy possesses physical attributes necessary to play in the NFL. However, NFL teams are more intrigued by what allows him to be so versatile -- his mind. Scouts need to look no further than Murphy's mother and father if they want to know where his brainpower comes from. Murphy's mother is a former professor at the University of Texas and his father is a Texas state representative.

Murphy will take the final steps towards earning his degree in physical therapy in May. When his football playing days are over, he would like to go back to school to earn his doctorate in physical therapy. Murphy has a combination of outstanding character and intellect that will allow him to succeed at anything he chooses. If he's given an opportunity to compete for an NFL job, it is entirely possible, that doctorate in physical therapy will have to wait a few years while he carves out a fruitful NFL career.

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