Junior defensive lineman Byron Murphy II has officially declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, leaving behind a legacy as one of the premier defensive tackles in Texas history.

Murphy officially declared on Jan. 4, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

“I would like to thank Coach Sark for allowing me to be a part of his program and giving me the opportunity to showcase my skill set on the highest stages of college football,” Murphy said in a post on X. 

Murphy finished the 2023 season with 29 total tackles, eight and a half for loss and five sacks on his way to a first-team All-Big 12 and Big 12 defensive lineman of the year honors. 2023 was a career year, to say the least, with the junior more than doubling his previous career stats per season in both sacks and tackles for loss. 

Pro Football Focus has Murphy ranked as its 82nd-ranked prospect in the upcoming draft and eighth among all interior defensive linemen. The junior was ranked 18th by Bruce Feldman on the Athletic’s list of exceptional athletes in college football heading into the 2023 season.

Murphy, alongside senior defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat, has a chance to be the first duo of Texas defensive linemen taken in the NFL Draft since 2009, when Roy Miller and Henry Melton went in rounds three and four.