2014 Kansas City Chiefs Draft Grades: Aaron Murray
By Ben Nielsen
Oct 5, 2013; Knoxville, TN, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray (11) calls out a play against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
The Kansas City Chiefs have drafted a quarterback for the fourth time since 1998. Can Aaron Murray be more productive than Ricky Stanzi, Brodie Croyle, and James Kilian? Good Deity, I hope so.
Here are two reports on Murray as a quarterback prospect.
Rob Rang on Murray, who gave Murray an Andy Dalton comparison:
"As one might expect given his playing time, Murray does many of the little things well. He has a quick set-up and delivery. He throws a tight spiral and is creative in the pocket, showing the ability to slide and re-set, as well as deliver passes from a variety of arm slots. He throws deep passes with velocity and good trajectory and can attack down the seam with excellent touch, as well.He has starred in a pro-style offense for four seasons against elite competition and showed the mettle under fire as a senior to handle the leadership duties expected of a franchise field general."
"For the NFL, Murray has a quality arm and can make all the throws. He does well on touch passes and can pick up apart a defense when given time. Murray does have a good arm and some mobility, but he isn’t fast or athletic enough to be a dual-threat quarterback. Murray looks like an NFL backup. He is undersized and doesn’t have the physical athletic ability to make up for it. Murray doesn’t have a cannon for an arm or rare running ability. He also is prone to meltdown performances against good defenses. Murray can get flustered by the pass rush sometimes and seems to feel a lot of pressure. His height could be limiting his field vision as well."
Aaron Murray’s selection probably means Chase Daniel or Tyler Bray are on the outs in Kansas City. Daniel will occupy $4.8 million in cap space in 2015 compared to Bray’s $589 thousand so it would seem Bray is the most likely to stay on the roster. There is also the chance Murray is put on the injured reserved list so as to keep all four of them for a year, although reports say Murray is good to go after recovering from ACL surgery.
The makeup of Murray would suggest he could be an effective quarterback in Andy Reid’s system. He’s very accurate, very smart, and has a history of great production in a league known for the being the best in college football. Production plus tools plus an excellent system fit should mean good things for Murray in Kansas City.
There are a few concerns here with injury and height, although quarterbacks like Russell Wilson and Drew Brees would be good counters to those arguments. There is also the question if the Chiefs want two backups with zero career starts on their bench, a situation they had to deal with last season.
Overall, this selection gets a B- from me. The quarterback battle in training camp and the preseason is going to be fun to watch.
Now it is your turn, Addicts. What grade do you give the Aaron Murray pick?