General manager John Schneider's first draft by himself, and without any help from former head coach Pete Carroll, came in 2024. Seattle Seahawks fans might have been on the fence about whether Schneider was going to be able to replicate the draft success of most of the Carroll years.
No rookie truly stood out last season. This included first-round draft pick Byron Murphy II. Murphy was chosen to help stop the run first and then supply interior pass rush at times. If he were able to eat up blocks, he would free up Leonard Williams and Jarran Reed to do some real damage.
Reed and Williams still caused damage, but not because of Murphy's excellence. He was rather meh in all facets of the game. Not this season, though. This year, Murphy is a real problem for opponents.
Byron Murphy II appears to be taking a second-year jump for the Seattle Seahawks
Entering Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints, Murphy had collected 11 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and four quarterback hits. The QB hits were three better than he had all of last season. His sacks were one better than he had as a rookie. He added to those numbers in the Seahawks' destruction of the Saints with a sack, a quarterback hit, three tackles, and a tackle for loss.
Seattle also destroyed the Saints. The Seahawks won 44-13.
In fact, Murphy leads the league in pressures from an interior defender through three games. This isn't through accident, either. He is stronger than he was last season and is quicker simply from the aspect of having a full year in head coach Mike Macdonald's defensive system.
Murphy appears to be trending toward being the next player to take a second-year jump in Macdonald's system. The same thing happened with Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, who, in his fourth season in the league but second in Macdonald's system when both were with Baltimore, jumped to 13 sacks and was named Second-Team All-Pro.
Whether Byron Murphy can get to 13 sacks is a different question, but he does still have help from Reed and Williams, so expecting less in the future from the second-year player might be a mistake. He might still be learning how to be great, but finding a way to be great while doing it.
The best part is that because Byron Murphy II was a first-round choice, the team has a fifth-year option. He will be with the Seattle Seahawks for at least four more seasons before needing to be extended. Of course, if he continues to play as he has through three games, extending him is a no-brainer.