In Kenneth Murray, Chargers could have NFL's top defensive rookie for second time in 5 years
The Los Angeles Chargers traded back into the first round of the 2020 draft to select Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray.
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Linebacker was a clear position of need for the Los Angeles Chargers entering the 2020 NFL Draft. They weren't going to take one with the sixth overall pick as that was too early and they grabbed Oregon's Justin Herbert as their quarterback of the future. Later in the round, the Bolts traded the No. 37 overall pick and No. 71 to New England for the No. 23 selection and took Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray. He's +2000 on the moneyline odds at William Hill sportsbook to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
When one thinks of the Chargers, they likely think of an offensive-minded franchise (Air Coryell, Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson, etc.), but the franchise has done a fine job of drafting terrific defensive players. Three Chargers have won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: Defensive end Leslie O'Neal in 1986, linebacker Shawne Merriman in 2005 and defensive end Joey Bosa in 2016.
On the CBS Sports Big Board entering the 2020 draft, Murray was ranked as the No. 25 overall player in the class and No. 2 linebacker to Clemson's Isaiah Simmons, who went No. 8 to the Arizona Cardinals. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Murray had 102 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and four sacks at Oklahoma last year and started all 42 games of his career.
Murray's 335 career tackles are second-most in school history this century behind 446 by Travis Lewis, and Murray played one fewer season. Murray's four games with at least 10 tackles and a sack over the previous two seasons were tied for second-most in the FBS.
Murray is especially good against the run with 22 run stops in 2019, second-most in the Big 12. The Chargers were a bit below-average last year in allowing 112.8 yards per game on the ground. They said goodbye to linebackers Thomas Davis and Jatavis Brown this offseason, so Murray seems likely to start in the middle from Day 1. With 4.52 speed, Murray should stay on the field in passing downs.
The Bolts open the season as 3.5-point favorites on the NFL odds in Cincinnati.
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