Byron Murphy, Adonai Mitchell slotted in first round of latest ESPN mock draft
The first NFL Mock Draft from ESPN’s Field Yates was released earlier today and features a pair of Texas players predicted to be chosen in the first round that didn’t show up on any of these lists last year at this time, an indicator of how much things can change and players can improve over the course of a season.
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Yates opines that Longhorns defensive tackle Byron Murphy II and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell will be the only Texas players taken in the opening round, with Murphy slotted at No. 13 to Las Vegas and Mitchell predicted to be taken with the 32nd (and final) pick by two-time defending Super Bowl champ Kansas City.
Under this scenario, Murphy would be the first (and only) defensive tackle off the board in the first round and Mitchell would be the fourth wide receiver selected.
Murphy, who goes at 6-foot 1 and 308 pounds, played in 39 games with 16 starts in his three seasons with the Longhorns and was named a 2023 second-team All-American by the Associated Press and Sporting News as well as the 2023 Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Murphy started all 14 games for Texas last year. He established career highs with 29 tackles (13 solo), 8.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and seven quarterback hurries. He also scored two offensive touchdowns with one TD reception and one scoring rush.
Here’s Yates’ take on Murphy
Primary needs for the Raiders also include quarterback and offensive line, but four QBs are off the board, and the overall depth of the tackle class makes finding a second-round starter viable. Murphy fills a massive gap along the defensive front after an incredible 2023 season, too. He offers true difference-making play as a pocket compressor (he had 5.0 sacks this past season) and run defender. Few players in this class play full tilt to the extent that Murphy does.
Mitchell, listed at 6-foot-4 and 196 pounds, played in 14 games with 13 starts last year after transferring from Georgia. He garnered 2023 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors by the Associated Press and the Offensive Newcomer of the Year by the conference’s coaches. He was a Second-Team All-Big 12 selection according to the conference’s coaches and the AP.
Mitchell established career highs with 55 receptions, 845 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns, with his 11 TDs tied for fifth-most in a season in program history. He led the Big 12 Conference in receiving TDs, had seven receptions and three touchdowns of 30-plus yards and recorded a reception in all 14 games and at least three in 12 contests.
Here’s what Yates had to say about Mitchell.
The Chiefs’ wide receiver issues are no mystery, and Mitchell would help the cause. The 6-foot-4, 196-pounder is silky smooth when running routes with the frame and length to make his mark both down the field and in the red zone. The Chiefs hit a home run with Rashee Rice in the second round last April, and this would provide them with another playmaker to build the passing game around. Mitchell caught 11 touchdowns last season, and with his 15.4 yards-per-catch average, he’d be great for Patrick Mahomes and the Super Bowl champs.
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There will be plenty of shuffling in these mock drafts over the next two months in advance of the NFL Draft that begins on April 25. Prospects still have the NFL Combine (11 Texas players have been invited to participate) from Feb. 26-March 4 as well as on-campus pro days and interviews.
And free agency hasn’t taken place yet; that will impact the draft and the specific teams’ overall needs.
