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Maalikmas 2.0! - 2022 QB Maalik Murphy


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6 minutes ago, Tex-19 said:
Spoiler

247Sports takes a look at what Texas is getting with their new QB commit, Gardena (Calif.) Serra signal caller Maalik Murphy…

Profile: Maalik Murphy

Position: Quarterback

Location: Gardena (Calif.) Serra

Height: 6-5

Weight: 225 pounds

Recruiting: Murphy looked like a solid UCLA lean but things changed quick when Steve Sarkisian took over at Texas. The Horns has been involved with Murphy on and off over the last year but looked out of the running when Quinn Ewers committed to Texas. A week after Ewers de-committed, Texas jumped back in play with Murphy and then really went in once Sarkisian took over. Despite a deep and talented year for in-state quarterbacks in the Lone Star State, Murphy was the one Sarkisian prioritized and he went all in. A few other schools like Oregon, Rutgers and LSU were involved as well but Murphy decided to make a birthday commitment and chose the Horns earlier today.

What to Like: Murphy has all the physical tools you could want in a next level quarterback. He’s a big strong kid who can move around but is most comfortable siting in the pocket. He has arguably the biggest arm in the ’22 class and makes it look effortless. He doesn’t need a big windup to get the ball down the field and has worked hard on tightening his release and getting the ball out quicker over the last year. He’s a smart kid who understands when to take something off and change speeds when he needs to. He doesn’t try and over throw but is more about completing passes and has also improved in his ability to throw on-time with anticipation. He’s mobile enough to buy time in the pocket and will take off and run when necessary although we wouldn’t call him a dual-threat quarterback, more someone who can run when he needs to. He’s a natural leader, someone who has always been a great teammate and a future captain. He’s already hitting the recruiting trail and will be an active recruiter and should have a lot of influence both nationally and in California. He needs game reps for sure and not having a season this year in California hurt his development but if he maximizes his potential and hits his ceiling, there is no doubt he’s a high round NFL Draft pick someday.

Areas to improve: As mentioned, the biggest thing he needs is game reps. Murphy split time as a sophomore and then suffered a late shoulder injury. His junior year was set to be his breakout season but football was shut down in the fall in California. Murphy has yet to really show what he can do with the pads on so there’s always a slight risk there. When you look at the talent in the state of Texas this year at the quarterback position, there will definitely be some second guessing of Sarkisian if Murphy isn’t a home run. I think it’s a risk worth taking, he’s a very talented kid, a high character person with a great off the field work ethic and his upside is hard to pass on.

Overall Analysis: This one will be a lot of fun to watch over the coming years. Sarkisian chose Murphy, a player from out of state with limited game reps over some of the talented in-state signal callers. The hope is Murphy reaches his huge ceiling and if he does, he's a 1st day NFL Draft pick, he has that kind of upside. He's a pure thrower who makes it looks easy. We want to see him in game action with a defense coming after him. The great quarterbacks are the ones who can make the game slow down, go through progressions and make quick decisions and that only happens with live bullets coming at you. There's a small chance there could be a five-game season in California in March this year but if not, Murphy's senior year will need to be a big one for him where he can hopefully take some strides and become comfortable at the position. He won't need to play right away and a red-shirt year will be a good thing for him and allow him more time to learn and get up to speed. 

Spoiler

Texas has a new quarterback commit in the form of five-star Gardena (Calif.) Junipero Serra quarterback Maalik Murphy. Steve Sarkisian and his staff were able to reel Murphy in quickly after taking over at Texas.

The prospect known as “Baby Cam” is short on experience but long on physical tools. Horns247 spoke with several college sources around the country to get some extra insight on what schools see in the massive passer.

Murphy sat behind older starters with FBS-level talent early in his career, and injury cut his sophomore season short. His junior season was wiped out by COVID-19, and it’s still uncertain if California will be able to play a season this spring.

While he’s still a bit of an unknown in that regard, Murphy has been busy competing on the 7v7 circuit and at every camp he can attend. Murphy competed in the Elite 11 regional in Los Angeles last November and made the list of 247Sports’ top performers. National Analyst Greg Biggins wrote the following of Murphy’s performance.

“Murphy had a great day overall and this was probably the best we’ve seen him throw in a long time. There aren’t many quarterbacks anywhere in the country with the ceiling Murphy has. He has a big, strong frame, elite arm strength and is accurate to all three levels of the field. He can change speeds and for as big as he is, he’s mobile and can make throws outside the pocket with ease. We’ve always said we just want to see Murphy more consistent and do it with the pads on so the upcoming junior season will be a huge one for him.”

Murphy has been coveted by multiple coaches at Texas. He was the first quarterback in the 2022 class to be offered when Tim Beck was overseeing passers in Austin. Even with Quinn Ewers in-state, Beck made a move for Murphy. That didn’t change when Mike Yurcich arrived and made it known to Murphy that he was a priority. Sarkisian and his staff picked up where they left off.

More projection than production at this point in his career, Murphy managed to pick up 31 offers. One power-five offensive coordinator told Horns247 that the tools he possesses outweigh the inexperience.

“He’s raw but full of potential,” the source said. “Big guy with a strong arm. He’s a great kid too just really raw. He’s going to have to learn some things, but he has huge upside. We think he can be a difference maker like (Clemson quarterback) DJ Uiagalelei. We wanted to see how he developed because he didn’t start all the time as a sophomore and he was very raw.”

Lack of experience was a consistent concern with everyone we talked with, but an assistant at a school targeting Murphy also said that the physical tools were too much to ignore.

“Personally, I loved his physical upside,” the source said. “He hasn’t played a ton of ball and had three quarterbacks at Serra his sophomore year that all got some run. Small sample size from a production standpoint, but I wouldn’t pass him up because of his tools.”

One west coast source I spoke with had the most knowledge of his skills, and they were able to provide us with a deep look at Murphy.

“He’s a really high upside prospect with great arm talent,” he said. “Many are worried about assessing his accuracy with lack of game tape, but I thought he was consistent with ball placement to all fields when I saw him. The hash to sideline comeback, the tight crosser fastball, and the lollipop fade throws you look for in young kids are all in his arsenal with consistency and confidence.

“The concern with his lack of experience is he has no coverage ID skills, his timing on levels concepts and his decision making in live reps. That said, I think those issues will be sorted out after a redshirt season and some live reps.”

With Casey Thompson entering the season as the favorite to win the job while Hudson Card and Charles Wright wait in the wings, Murphy will likely have the luxury of time to prepare. Sarkisian’s rep as a quarterback developer could produce a monster with the raw tools Murphy brings to the table.

 

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