Film Room: How Myles Murphy stands out as a disruptor

In many ways, Myles Murphy is the prototypical Cincinnati Bengals defensive end. He was a five-star recruit who played for a championship-level team at Clemson. He’s 6-foot-5, 268 pounds, and has long arms. This helps him hold the edge in the run game.

Murphy ran a 1.59 10-yard split at his Pro Day, this will be evident in the film clips below. He is also a disciplined pass rusher who keeps contain but never put up crazy sack numbers (6.5 and 7 sacks, respectively in the last two seasons). The other thing that stands out on film is his relentless effort pursuing the football. Sounds like a Bengal to me.

Let’s take a look at what Murphy brings to Cincinnati.

Murphy is number 98 in orange at the bottom of the screen.

We’ll start our film breakdown where most effective pass rushes start, with the bull rush.

Murphy is powerful.

In this clip, he fires off the line of scrimmage and strikes the offensive tackle, shooting his hips and continuing his upfield progress. This time, and many others, he is able to knock the tackle to the ground. The ball comes out fast, but Murphy gets a hit on the quarterback.

The bull rush is not a pass-rush move, it is a set-up, and in this clip, Murphy demonstrates how to use it accordingly.

Once again, Murphy fires off the line of scrimmage, and from this angle, you can really see the explosion in his hips as he strikes the offensive tackle. This force coming at the offensive tackle causes him to get off balance, but unlike the player above who rolled over backward, this tackle leans forward, attempting to counter Murphy’s strength. Murphy uses the tackle’s momentum against him, grabbing his jersey and pulling him forward, which allows him to get by the tackle for a sack.

Murphy is number 98 in white at the bottom of the Florida State logo.

Murphy can also win with speed off the edge, and that is exactly what he does in this clip. He keeps the offensive tackle at arm’s length (literally) as he bends around the corner for the sack. Murphy is able to dislodge the ball, something he did six times in his Clemson career, resulting in a turnover.

Murphy is number 98 in white on the left side of the screen.

Even a chip from the tight end couldn’t slow him down in this clip. Murphy gets to the offensive tackle's hip, swats his hand away, and dips his hips to get by.

This clip also shows his discipline as a pass rusher. Murphy targets the quarterback’s back shoulder, so as he spins attempting to escape the pocket, Murphy is unfazed and brings him down for a sack just the same. This is extremely important in a league full of athletic quarterbacks who can keep plays alive with their athleticism.

Murphy is wearing number 98 is in orange on the bottom of the screen.

Murphy shows an excellent burst off the line of scrimmage in this clip, then goes Franky Fast-Hands with a nice club-rip move. This is a great example of how to dip your hips when bending around the edge.

The quarterback tries to get away, but there is no escaping Myles Murphy.

Murphy is number 98 in orange, the second player from the left.

In this clip, Murphy is lined up as an interior lineman, and his speed is utilized on a twist.

He shops excellent quickness, looping all the way from one B-gap to the other and bringing the quarterback down for a sack.

This is something the Bengals did last season with Joseph Ossai and frequently with Sam Hubbard early in his career. Look for Murphy to do a lot of this on third downs as a rookie.

Murphy is number 98 in white on the left side of the screen.

Murphy is a force in the offensive backfield who had 37 TFLs in his career a Clemson.

In this clip, he takes on the tackle’s block and holds his ground on the edge. When the rusher cuts inside, Murphy disengages from the block and gets involved in the tackle. This is a fantastic display of strength and discipline as a run defender.

Murphy was an excellent pick for the Bengals who will make a contribution as a rookie and step into a larger role in 2024. His lack of sack production has led him to be underrated as a pass-rusher, but he has what it takes to get after the quarterback consistently in the NFL. He has the strength and length to hold the edge and keep the AFC North’s potent running attacks in check. I expect big things out of him in Cincinnati.