NFL Draft Offensive Prospect of the Week: DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma

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DeMarco Murray burst onto the scene at Oklahoma as the successor to Adrian Peterson and the next great back at Oklahoma. He wowed players, fans, and coaches alike with his elegant running style and smooth moves. Murray rushed for 1766 yards and 27 touchdowns in his first two seasons, and he could have had considerably more if not for injury. Now Murray is healthy again and he has rushed for 911 yards and 13 touchdowns so far to go along with 374 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Murray is starting to regain his draft status after being written off by many due to constant, nagging injuries.

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At 6'1, 207 pounds Murray is lanky for a running back. He is a little on the tall side, and because of this many people think he should move to wide receiver in the pros. While Murray could succeed at wide receiver in the pros, I believe he would be best used as a Reggie Bush, Brian Westbrook type back. He has the hands and quickness to be effective receiving out the back field and even split out at wide receiver, yet he possesses the vision to run the ball when he needs to. The word I would use to describe Murray is smooth. He is not the fastest or the most explosive back out there, nor is he as strong as some of the elite backs, but he simply knows what to do when he is on the field, and he looks good doing it. He has great moves and always seems to get where he wants to. Murray simply knows how to play the game of football.

I have Murray ranked #3 in my NFL Draft Rankings, and I believe he will be a steal for whichever team drafts him. His versatility combined with his skill will cause nightmares for opposing defenses. However, if he goes to a team that is expecting him to be an every-down, pound him between the tackles back, they will be sorely mistaken. Murray must be used correctly, but if he is he will be dangerous. If Murray runs in the 4.4's at the combine expect him to go in the second round or possibly even the late first.

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Defensive Prospect of the Week: Nick Fairley,DT, Auburn

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Cam Newton may be receiving most of the hype this year for the Auburn Tigers, but Nick Fairley is possibly their best player. He has been a terror for opposing offenses this year. A junior, Fairley stands an intimidating 6'5 and weights in at nearly 300 pounds. He possesses excellent size and speed for the defensive tackle position. He is very similar to my #1 ranked DT, Marcell Dareus, in that he is an ideal fit for the 3-4 defensive end position in the pros. This is due to his tall frame combined with size and strength that would allow him to demand double teams, yet still be able to set the edge against the run. However, with Fairley's quickness he could also play under-tackle in a 4-3 scheme.

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Fairley has been the most dominant defensive tackle in college football this year recording 18 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks so far. He has been shooting up draft boards because he combines exceptional physical ability with strong play. The reason I am cautious with him, ranking him as my #4 DT in my NFL Draft Rankings is due to his lack of consistency. This is his first year of doing anything in division one football. He attended a junior college and then proceeded to accomplish nothing last year at Auburn. This is his first good year of college football. If he continues to prove himself this year and works out well in the off-season he could be selected in the top-half of the first round. However, if he begins to fade their are plenty of other talented defensive tackles that could go ahead of him. There is no denying the physical ability of Fairley and it will be fun to watch him and Cam Newton attempt to lead Auburn to a National Championship.

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