The New Orleans Saints moved on from running back Mark Ingram by signing free agent Latavius Murray, but what are they getting in the sixth-year pro?
5. Murray is a top-shelf athlete, especially at 230-pounds
Murray is listed at 6-foot-3, 230-pounds, but he measured in at 6-foot-2 1/2, 223-pounds at his 2013 pro day. Then he tore up the turf, timing 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash and 6.81 seconds in the three-cone drill. He jumped out of the gym, too, leaping 36 inches vertically and 124 inches broad. It’s clear from those numbers alone that he knows how to condition and take care of himself, but Murray’s 22 bench reps of 225 pounds speak even more to his dedication. Murray turned 29 years old in January, but it’s clear from watching him that he’s still a rare athlete.
4. Murray has scored 26 touchdowns in the last three years
Murray has been a touchdown machine the last three years, hitting paydirt on 26 of his 551 rushing attempts — an impressive scoring rate of 4.7-percent. That’s comparable to Mark Ingram’s production over the same time period, when the former Saints running back recorded 24 touchdowns on 573 carries (4.2-percent). He should pair nicely with Alvin Kamara, who has logged 22 touchdown runs on 314 carries in his first two seasons (an insane rate of 7.0-percent).
3. Murray ran for the UCF Knights in college
Murray logged 453 rushing attempts in four years at UCF, only starting in his senior year. He gained 2,424 yards and scored 37 touchdowns on the ground at a clip of 5.4 yards per carry. Additionally, Murray recorded 50 receptions for 524 yards and six touchdown catches in his UCF career. He was named team MVP and offensive player of the year after his junior season, and selected to the all-conference first team following his senior year.
2. Before joining the Vikings, Murray played for Oakland
Murray became a regular in the Oakland Raiders offense during the 2015 season, setting a career-high in carries (266), rushing yards (1,066) and receptions (41). A year later, he scored a dozen times on the ground. When he left Oakland after the 2016 season, Murray had 2,278 rushing yards, 20 touchdown runs, 91 receptions (on 119 targets), and 639 receiving yards behind him.
1. Murray does his best work in the red zone
Murray is money inside his opponent’s 20-yard line. He’s racked up 146 rushing attempts within that range, scoring 28 touchdowns and converting 42 first downs. That’s a scoring rate of 19.1-percent, and a first down conversion rate of 28.8-percent. Compare those numbers against Mark Ingram’s accomplishments: Ingram scored on 19-percent and converted on 28.8-percent of his red zone carries. In other words, Murray is like Ingram in that they each make the most of their scoring opportunities and get better as the field shrinks down and condenses.
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