Vikings Draft Picks and Undrafted Rookies Heading to Minicamp

I see CBS sports listed the kid from UCLA as the top UDFA.

— Craig Rotz in Boston, Massachusetts

There’s been some steam directed toward Gabriel Murphy from multiple directions, including this post by CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso in which he ranked his top seven undrafted free agents “by talent, and of course, also by situation, which for these players, is absolutely critical.”

Trapasso noted Minnesota’s success with Ivan Pace, Jr., in 2023, before writing the following:

Murphy can be the Pace of the 2023 UDFA class for the Vikings, and the similarities between the two are striking. Lack of prototypical size and length was probably the reason Murphy went undrafted — Pace knows how that feels — but, like Pace, Murphy was outstandingly productive in college, and, actually where they differ is Murphy tested like a premier athlete for his respective position. He ran 4.68 in the 40 with a 39.5-inch vertical and [10-foot-3-inch broad jump]. While the 4.68 time isn’t spectacular, the vertical and broad are both higher than the 80^th percentile at the edge rusher spot.

Lastly, in 2023 with the Bruins, the slippery, hand-work magician registered 61 pressures on a mere 355 pass-rushing snaps (17.1% pressure-creation rate). He knows how to work past his length limitations, and frankly, he’s not incredibly small at over 6-2 and 247 pounds. Yes, Minnesota traded up for the highly decorated and athletic Dallas Turner at No. 17. And they signed Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard in free agency. BUT, if any defensive coordinator will know how to deploy him, it’s Brian Flores.

Murphy received a draft projection of Round 5 from NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein, who noted Murphy’s “skill and production” has made up for his size. “He’s short-armed (30 ½ inches), which will worry teams on the pro level, but his hands are so sudden and polished that it tends to ease concerns. … Murphy could struggle to survive against run blockers who square him up, but he typically finds a way to slither out of sustain attempts on the collegiate level.”

That last part really reminded me of Pace, who made it very difficult last year for blockers to square him up on his way to a highly productive rookie season.