Cornerback Byron Murphy steps up in 2018
We know the potential of cornerback Byron Murphy. He exploded onto the 2017 NCAA football season with two interceptions in the road opener against the Rutgers Scarlett Knights. He ended the season with playing in just six games, missing seven games and nearly two months due to a broken foot. But in those six games, he recorded three interceptions. And he recorded 12 tackles in the last two games of the season.
That huge two-game span got the attention of CBS, who wrote this about Murphy’s freshman debut:
"“…However, when he was healthy, he was superb. Murphy had two picks in his first game against Rutgers and finished the year with solid back-to-back performances in the Apple Cup and Fiesta Bowl. He allowed just one touchdown with 13 passes deflected or incomplete on 22 targets. Murphy enters next season with tons of promise as one of the top returning cover corners per PFF (minimum 300 snaps) and could be one of the best in the nation this time next year.” – Per Ben Kercheval of CBSSPorts.com"
And he is coming back in 2018 with NCAA bowl game experience. And while Washington placed just Murphy on the list of top-25, they did manage to earn another on the Honorable Mention list for defense as well.