The Arizona Cardinals are very excited about the addition of cornerback Byron Murphy, their second-round pick in the draft. They expect him to be able to play as a rookie and eventually perhaps be Patrick Peterson’s replacement as a No. 1 corner.
His pro player comp is a good one.
According to Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar, Murphy’s player comp is Asante Samuel.
Murphy doesn’t check some of the boxes NFL teams want checked with their cornerbacks—he doesn’t look like an island cornerback at 5’11” and 190 pounds, and he’s not much faster on the field than his 4.55 40-yard dash at the combine would represent. But like Samuel, who excelled through 11 seasons with the Patriots, Eagles, and Falcons, Murphy brings an elevated sense of where the ball is to jump routes and make fools of quarterbacks.
Samuel played 11 seasons and had 51 career interceptions, including two seasons with at least nine. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and a one-time All-Pro.
If this is anything close to what Murphy becomes, the Cardinals got an absolute steal.
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