Kenneth Murray
After starting and earning Big 12 honors all three years at the University of Oklahoma, it should come as no surprise that Kenneth Murray is a top draft prospect. If that’s not convincing enough, he padded his resume at the combine this weekend.
Unfortunately, a hamstring injury cut Murray’s day short but he thrived in the drills he participated in. The linebacker ran the 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds which ranked sixth for the position group, put up 21 reps on the bench press (ranked tied for fifth), had a 38.0-inch vertical (ranked sixth), and leaped 129.0 inches on the broad jump (ranked third). Not a bad day for a guy who tips the scale at 241 pounds.
The former Sooner is another player who has been linked to the Raiders in a handful of mock drafts. Rolando McClain in 2010 was the last time the organization spent a first-round pick on an inside linebacker, and the defense has suffered ever since then as the position has been a revolving door of players over the last decade.
It’s time to finally address the problem early in the draft, so look for Murray to be a potential target at pick 19.