Byron Murphy II is already drawing elite-level preseason attention for 2026.
Fox Sports analyst Bucky Brooks named the Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle to his All-22 preseason dream team, a recognition that puts Murphy among the top two defensive tackles projected to excel next season. The selection is a strong signal that Murphy’s breakout has moved beyond one hot stretch and into the conversation about the NFL’s best interior defenders.
The reason is easy to see in the numbers. A year before last season, Murphy recorded 0.5 sacks. Last season, he jumped all the way to seven sacks and added 13 quarterback hits. For a 6-foot-0, 306-pounder playing inside, that kind of production is exactly what gets attention from evaluators looking for disruptive defensive linemen.
Brooks pointed to Murphy’s activity and aggression, noting that he forces interior defenders to stay aware of where he is on pivotal downs. That matters for the Seahawks, who are known to crank up the pressure in key moments. When an interior defender can create disruption without needing help, it changes how an offense has to block the entire front.
Murphy’s rise also fits the broader story of a player taking a major step forward at the right time. Last season’s seven-sack output was already a clear jump from the year before, and Brooks’ projection suggests there may be even more growth coming in 2026. He described Murphy as an emerging standout who is ready to take his game up a notch as an All-Pro-caliber defender at the line.
That is the real takeaway here. The Seahawks are not just getting a promising young defensive tackle anymore. They may have a player who is starting to look like one of the league’s better interior pass rushers, with enough production and disruptive traits to justify a spot on a preseason dream team.
Murphy may not have been named an All-Pro in 2025, but this projection shows how quickly the perception around him has changed. If he keeps producing at anything close to last season’s level, the conversation around him could get even bigger once 2026 arrives.
