Second-year NFL linebacker and former UCLA Bruin Gabriel Murphy impressed for the Minnesota Vikings’ stout defense against the Houston Texans on Saturday.
Gabriel Murphy led the team with 1.5 sacks in the Vikings’ 20-10 preseason victory. He also had 3 tackles with 1 tackle-for-loss and 5 quarterback hits, proving to be an absolute force in the backfield and demonstrating why he deserves to be on an active roster come September.
The 2024 undrafted free agent made the Vikings’ practice squad last year after returning from injured reserve. He played against the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 8, 2024, and against the Detroit Lions on Jan. 1, 2025; his only tackle came against the Falcons, according to the Vikings.
According to Vikings Wire, Murphy had the highest Pro Football Focus rating of a Viking from their preseason opener with an 89.4. They also state that there is an opening on the roster for a fourth edge rusher behind Dallas Turner and that he has a chance to take that roster spot.
In his final year with the Bruins in 2023, Murphy played on the defensive line and terrorized backfields with 16 tackles-for-loss, 9 sacks and 8 quarterback hits, according to UCLA.
If Murphy continues to show his explosiveness through training camp and preseason reps, then it would be difficult for defensive coordinator Brian Flores to turn down the idea of having a youthful 24-year-old linebacker who could wreak havoc in opposing backfields.
Teams can never have enough good edge rushers, and Murphy seems to be getting back into form. If that is the case, he should prove to be a valuable asset for the Vikings and could be a solid cog in Flores’s wildly aggressive defensive scheme, bringing fear into opposing offenses throughout the 2025 season.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA’s Gabriel Murphy leads Vikings’ defense in sacks in NFL preseason opener vs Texans
Reporting by Ryan Lorenz, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
