Carolina Panthers Draft Profile: Larrell Murchison upgrades their pass rush

Heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers would get quite the pass-rushing specialist in defensive tackle Larrell Murchison out of North Carolina State.

Ideally, the Carolina Panthers will hope to leave the 2020 NFL Draft as winners. For that to be achieved, it’s all about bolstering their defense big time this offseason. It’s no secret that the Panthers need help bad on their defensive line as it’s their single top priority heading into this year’s draft. Considering that they’ve had issues over the last few years in the pass-rushing category, it would make sense they address it with one of their mid-round draft picks.

Defensive tackle Larrell Murchison would be a great pick for the Panthers in Rounds 4-5 as he’s an extremely versatile pass-rushing specialist ready to make an impact the moment he hits the gridiron. At 6-2 and 297lbs., Murchison is all about bringing the heat to opposing quarterbacks and being more than capable of stopping the run.

Since the Panthers’ defensive line is in need of quality depth anyway, Murchison can easily see himself in a rotational role with starters as early as this upcoming season. The fact that he’s incredibly fast for his size bodes well for earning playing time down the road.

Larrell Murchison will thrive with the Carolina Panthers

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If the Panthers take a shot with Murchison, he will start making plays early and often in his rookie season. He’s the kind of young talent that will be excited to play at the pro level and make the most out of such a golden opportunity.

STRENGTHS

Murchison does very well either in a pass-rushing or run-stopping role as his versatility makes him a unique player to have as quality depth on a defensive line. He does well against tough offensive linemen and encourages a challenge so it’ll improve his overall defensive awareness.

The energy Murchison brings to the field is so aggressive, it helps to rally those around him to make big defensive stops the moment the football is snapped. His motor doesn’t stop all game long as he’s always doing his best to make plays or at least be around where the football is the majority of the time he’s on the field. Murchison totaled 11 sacks at North Carolina State and 20 tackles for a loss.

WEAKNESSES

As Murchison takes his talents to the pro level, he’s entering the scene as a backup with a lot to prove in order to move up the depth chart. The biggest area of opportunity for Murchison will be his reaction time. He’ll more than likely need constant coaching and training to develop his reaction skills to not overthink positioning and be out of a play.

It’s a well-known fact that Murchison does not do well at all when getting double-teamed which can lead to frustration early on. The kind of frustration that makes him use his speed ineffectively and get pushed right where opposing offensive linemen want him to be.

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PANTHERS PREDICTION

If the Panthers can land Murchison in Round 4 of this year’s draft, that’s about where it makes sense to take a chance on him. He could be used effectively as depth within his first year or two while being developed into a starting role in the future if everything comes together. Murchison has the potential to achieve this but he’ll be a developmental project at first with the Panthers and likely require a few years of coaching before getting to the next level.

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