(Editor's Note: Heading into the upcoming NFL Draft, held May 8-10, DallasCowboys.com will take a closer look at the prospects, including some that could be potential fits with the Cowboys. Today's featured player is Georgia's Aaron Murray).
Name:Aaron Murray
Position:Quarterback
College: Georgia
Height/Weight:6-1/207
Age:23
Honors: Murray was voted to Associated Press All-SEC Second Team, named a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and was one of 16 semifinalists for the 2013 Maxwell Award, named to the top player in the country. He earned the Vince Dooley MVP Award in 2012.
Key stat:Murray's the first quarterback in SEC history to throw for 3,000 or more yards in four straight seasons. He not only holds school records for attempts (1,478), completions (921), passing yards (13,166) and touchdowns (121), but he also holds the SEC record for the last three categories, as well as total offense (13,562).
Where He's Projected: He's projected to go in the middle rounds, anywhere from the third to the fifth. But if he can prove he's healthy at his April 16 Pro Day, which he's set out to do, his stock could rise. He tore his ACL in November 2013 but believes he'll be able to surprise teams with his comeback from the injury at the Pro Day. No one can argue with his production in college,
How He Helps the Cowboys:Murray would give the Cowboys a highly productive college quarterback who could compete with the backups to earn a spot on the team and be the developmental quarterback behind Tony Romo. The Cowboys already have three quarterbacks on the roster in Romo, Kyle Orton and Brandon Weeden, but they're all 30 or older. Murray has the time and the youth to be a long-term option in the future, and there's no need to rush him back from the injury in Dallas.
Scout's Take: [embedded_ad]
Bryan Broaddus – Scout's Take:Murray's one of those quarterbacks that you take a liking to the minute you put on his game tape. You have to admire his ability to stand in there and take a hit. He shows outstanding toughness and the willingness to deliver the ball under pressure. Murray plays both under center and in the shot gun, setting the protections and directing the receivers. Play action is a strength with him. He's a very good ball handler and faker and will make the defense react to him when he does this. He's very good at showing the ball, taking it away then getting his eyes down the field, and he has a real feel for where he needs to go with the ball after the fake. He throws the ball well on the move and can be accurate in his delivery, hitting his receivers in stride for big gains. He threw a perfect post pattern against LSU for a touchdown.
Murray likes to work the middle of the field with his throws. He'll make quick decisions with the ball and can slide forward in the pocket to make throws. He can make the underneath touch throws on screens. The ball will come off his hand with some zip. He'll snap the out and drive the slant and is willing to take what defense is going to give him. He can fit the ball in tight spots in the red zone and shows the ability to convert key downs during a drive. With the game on the line against Auburn, on a fourth-and-5 from the 5, he took off up the middle to score the go ahead touchdown. He'll set up and fire the ball with confidence.
If he's guilty of a bad trait, he tends to throw to a spot regardless, like he has already made up his mind. I thought he needed to do a better job of going through his reads, then making the throw. Of the group of Zach Mettenberger and AJ McCarron, I like him the best as a possible mid-round selection.
