Byron Murphy II has already made one major jump for the Seattle Seahawks.
One prominent voice around the team believes the next one could place him at the front of the NFL’s top defensive award race.
In an Aug. 2 clip shared by Seahawks Collective, Seahawks blogger Brian Nemhauser said he believes Murphy can become the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
“I think that’s a big projection. It would need like a massive jump.”
* @robstaton‘s eyebrows jump into another stratosphere * 🤣
@MikeDugar @abhasselbeck“I think that’s a big projection,” Nemhauser said. “It would need like a massive jump.”
The prediction arrives as Murphy is building momentum at training camp.
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said he expects another rise in the defensive tackle’s pass-rush production, while teammates have described a player who is becoming increasingly problematic to block.
As a 23-year-old coming off a breakout season and a memorable Super Bowl performance, the idea of progression makes more sense than it would have one year ago.
Murphy Has Started in the Right Direction
GettySANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 08: Byron Murphy II #91 of the Seattle Seahawks recovers a fumble against the New England Patriots during the third quarter of Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Murphy’s first two seasons show how quickly his production can move.
The 2024 first-round pick finished his rookie year with 36 tackles and half a sack across 14 games. He followed with 62 tackles and seven sacks in 17 starts last season, tying for the team lead in sacks.
Pro Football Focus also credited Murphy with 50 pressures, ninth among qualified interior defensive linemen. His 76.6 pass-rush grade ranked 13th at the position.
His impact went past the numbers.
Seattle’s coaching staff credited Murphy with strengthening the run defense and opening pass-rush opportunities for teammates.
So, the seven-sack jump is legitimate since it came without removing the less visible responsibilities from his job.
Then came his loudest game.
Murphy recorded two sacks and recovered a fumble in Seattle’s 29-13 Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots. The performance thrust Murphy onto the league’s biggest stage and gave him another starting point for Year 3.
He also entered the offseason with a personal edge after missing the Pro Bowl.
Murphy said in December that the omission left him “kinda hurt” and feeling disrespected after the work he had invested in his craft, via Seahawks On SI.
Macdonald noted he expects Murphy to have a “spike in productivity rushing the passer” and added that the former Texas standout is “in a great spot.”
Seahawks See Signs of Another Murphy Leap
GettySEATTLE, WASHINGTON – AUGUST 24: Defensive tackle Byron Murphy II #91 of the Seattle Seahawks watches the rush during an NFL preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at Lumen Field on August 24, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Rio Giancarlo/Getty Images)
The strongest camp review may have come from Grey Zabel, who has faced Murphy in one-on-one work.
“I don’t think there is a ceiling,” Zabel said. “The guy’s got me in a blender right now.”
Those practice wins don’t guarantee an award campaign.
Defensive Player of the Year consideration demands a lot of game-changing plays and production that becomes impossible for national voters to overlook.
Murphy’s path begins with turning more of those pressures into sacks.
Moving into double figures would change the conversation, especially if Seattle remains among the league’s strongest defenses.
The surrounding front gives him room to climb.
Leonard Williams commands attention of his own, and Macdonald’s defense can create favorable matchups through movement and disguise.
Offenses will still have to decide where to send help when both linemen are on the field.
Nemhauser’s projection is ambitious, as he acknowledged.
But it lands at a moment when the evidence is starting to collect.
Murphy has gone from a quiet statistical rookie season to a seven-sack starter and Super Bowl difference-maker (and now one of the early standouts of Seahawks camp).
Further improvement could move him from breakout player to award candidate.
Seahawks’ 7-Sack Star Predicted to Win NFL Defensive Player of the Year