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The Combine’s coolest player

By Nathan Easington

As a top Division-1 athlete, on a team that has hosted NFL players and hopefuls like Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Ceedee Lamb and being chose as the Defensive Freshman of the Year in the Pack-12, Kenneth Murray has already done more in his short 21 years, than most who will ever pick up a ball.

As a freshman, Murray started all 14 games for the Oklahoma Sooners and recorded 78 tackles. He again started all games during his sophomore season; however, he doubled his amount of tackles, bringing him 233 total tackles and 5.5 sacks at the of 2019. He was also named to the First team All-Big 12 in 2019 and the Second team All-Big 12 in 2018.

At the NFL Combine, Murray’s clear on the field skill was again debuted as he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds, had a 38-inch vertical jump and 10-foot-nine-inch broad jump. While his high-quality football attributes have been clear for years and were confirmed while he was at the combine, it is some of his off the field qualities that make him a remarkable person.

“Single greatest combine interview I ever had,” said a coach in the NFL, according to Good Morning Football’s Peter Schrager while reporting from the combine.

Murray’s impressiveness goes beyond the football atmosphere as well. Last July, Murray and his girlfriend were returning home from church, when they saw two women at an intersection, one of which was lying on the ground in clear need of assistance.

Murray, whom had learned CPR as a teen, immediately went to work preforming CPR on the women. He was able to get help the woman get her breathing back just before the paramedics arrived.

“I intended for this not to get out in the media. I did what I did, and immediately tried to get out of there before anybody saw me. Two days later, our media director asked me if I gave a woman CPR,” Murray explained during his media day at the combine.

Murrays selfless acts are some of his best qualities as a person, traits that he has been honing from a young age as he has helped his parents with his three younger siblings, all of which suffer from mental and physical impairment. While the eldest of his three youngest siblings isn’t as affected as the two younger ones, his parents still go to 10-20 doctors’ appointments every week according to Murray.

“I tell people I feel like I’ve raised three kids already, just having to be the oldest of all of them, having to help my parents. It really changed my life. You have to be selfless in that situation. That’s one of the biggest things I learned, how to be truly selfless and help others,” said Murray.

As Murray continues to check of markers on his journey to the NFL, it is clear that the type of person and player Murray is, is somebody that every team wants. The Oklahoma Sooners pro day is March 11, which will serve as another chance for Murray to show what makes him truly a special person and players.