Lydon Murtha Scouting Report

by Sean Yuille on May 7, 2009 2:26 AM EDT in Draft Comment 27 comments

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

Nebraska offensive lineman Lydon Murtha works on a drill at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

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OT Lydon Murtha (Nebraska) - Round 7, Pick No. 228

The Lions finally addressed their need for an offensive lineman in the seventh round. By then, though, any pick was going to be more of a long shot to someday actually make an impact. That's not to say that Lydon Murtha, the OT from Nebraska the Lions drafted, won't someday be a player that can contend for a starting job. It's just rare that seventh-round picks make an instant impact. Obviously the Lions felt confident enough in their current players to not worry about the O-line very much in the draft, so let's just hope that doesn't turn out to be a mistake.

Experts' Opinions

Best traits per Scouts Inc.:

Excellent height, adequate bulk and rare top-end speed.

Moves well for player his size. Shows quick feet when gets into space but hips appear a bit stiff in pass protection.

SI.com:

POSITIVES: Sensational athlete still developing as an offensive lineman. Plays with a good amount of quickness, immediately sets up in pass protection, and displays better-than-average footwork sliding off the edge. Keeps his feet moving throughout the action, jolts opponents with good hand punch, and anchors at the point. Effectively uses his hands and works blocks hard.

NEGATIVES: Stiff in his pads and does not look as athletic on the field as he did during combine workouts. Lacks balance, on the ground too much, and he struggles finishing blocks. Not a natural knee bender.

Video

Draft profile:

NFL Combine (No. 39):

Outlook for 2009

Murtha will likely be no more than depth this season. He has lots of potential due to his athleticism and size, but that hasn't really translated too well to the football field. If his potential becomes a reality, then Murtha could very well be a pick we look back on and characterize as a steal.

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Comments

this was my favorite pick of the draft

Murtha has all the tools. He just needs to be coached up. He could be a beast in a couple of years.

by JCruize on May 7, 2009 3:16 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I love his athleticism

His ability to get a jump on pass rushers is brilliant. He’s just gotta build up his strength and work on his sustainability and his punch.

2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).

by Hyperion Ecta on May 7, 2009 6:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't have a problem with this pick but.....................

Here is where I continue to grumble about passing on Oher and Beatty at #20 and #33.
I guess LT will be a priority in the 2010 draft. There are apparently a number of great LT prospects so a lousy record will make a guy who is J. Smith/A. Smith/E. Monroe level talent available.

Problem is there will also be some great D Line players around too.

Back to Murtha. I support picking a guy late like this and develop him over a couple of years. However, we all must face the fact that he will be quite a longshot to become a starter or even a regular contributor as a back up. Then we have no option but Free Agents. Based on the upcoming changes in 2010 and beyond, Free Agents may be very scarce and of much lower quality.

We needed to draft a higher quality O Lineman this year.

by NorthLeft12 on May 7, 2009 8:14 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree with ya to a point

I think you’ll warm up to Pettigrew after a while. He really was a great pick, you’ll see :)
The Lions do need OL help, you’re dead-on with your last sentence

by JazzyBBP on May 7, 2009 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Despite my tirades against TEs I think Pettigrew can really help this team.

I can see the case where he helps both the passing and running games. He also should be able to step in from day one and contribute as a starter. A new LT would probably need some time before being put on the firing line, so to speak.

by NorthLeft12 on May 7, 2009 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I still think Levi Jones could be a good LT in FA this year

by KDawg on May 11, 2009 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

why?

There are just as many 7th round and undrafted O-Lineman in the NFL. Then there are 1st rounders.

by JCruize on May 7, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I guess someone with more time on his hands could check their failure rate

ie. Go back more than four years and see how many OTs were taken in each round and how long they lasted in the NFL. How many became starters, how many became All Pros? That kind of thing.

by NorthLeft12 on May 7, 2009 1:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I already did that kinda..

I have a break down of the starters from last year. Their were 31 1st round draft picks that started. 28 2nd rounders. 19 3rd rounders. 14 4th rounders. 13 5th rounders. 8 6th rounders. 8 7th rounders. 30 undrafted starters. When I looked at the teams. It seems to be a philosophical approach. Some teams seem to put together a unit. Giants had: 2-undrafted, a 5th, a 2nd, and a 3rd. Steelers: had a undrfated, a 4th, a 3rd, and two 6th. While the Jets had: four 1st, and a undrafted. Eagles had: a 1st, a 2nd, and three 4th. I think it really comes down to the type of offense the team is playing. I did not see any pattern that lead me to believe that drafting first day O-lineman. Were better than drafting second day O-Lineman. Or, vice-versa. Team of note. Titans had: two 2nd, a 7th, a 5th, and a 4th.

by JCruize on May 7, 2009 2:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I looked at the 2005 Draft.

Here are the results from my review of the Offensive Linemen picked:
Rd. 1 – 4 taken all four are starters. Two are Pro Bowlers – Jamaal Brown and Logan Makins
Rd. 2 – 5 taken, two regulars, two half starters, one Pro Bowler – Mike Roos. All 5 in the NFL
Rd. 3 – 6 taken, three starters, four still in NFL.
Rd. 4 – 10 taken, six starters, eight still in NFL.
Rd. 5 – 10 taken, one half starter, five still in NFL.
Rd. 6 – 9 taken, two starters, four still in NFL.
Rd. 7 – 6 taken, zero starters, two still in NFL.

JC the problem with your breakdown is that it does not take into account all the misses in the later rounds. There are more O Linemen drafted later. Most don’t last. I will look at other drafts and see if it supports the 2005 findings. I thought 2005 gave players four full years to develop to now. I figured if they haven’t made it by now, they probably never would.

by NorthLeft12 on May 7, 2009 9:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The problem with your..

point it is a very small sample. I could go on about all the 1st round misses also. What I gave you were actual starters. Believe me if I were to look up all the first round burst. I think they would be more 1st rounders than 7th rounders. And the pioint I was making you can find just as many starters in the later round as you can in the first rounds.

by JCruize on May 7, 2009 10:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Here is 2004, a horrible year for O Linemen

Rd. 1 – 3 taken, 3 starters, one Pro Bowler.
Rd. 2 – 4 taken, 3 starters, three still in league.
Rd. 3 – 5 taken, 5 starters.
Rd. 4 – 5 taken, 3 starters, 3 still in NFL.
Rd. 5 – 5 taken, 1 starter, 2 in NFL.
Rd. 6 – 8 taken, 1 starter, 3 in NFL.
Rd. 7 – 11 taken, 2 current starters, two past starters, two in the NFL.

I just gave you two years of the draft and every pick [all seven] from the first round are starters now. The seventh round has two current starters from the 17 picked.
It is possible to get starters from the seventh round, but you better be prepared to see far many more bust thaan if you choose them in the first round. You may call Robert Gallery a bust, but the fact is he is still starting in the NFL.

I went back to 2001 and of the linemen selected in the first round from then until 2008, thirty-five in total, all but one is a regular starter [George Foster] and two are no longer in the NFL [Mike Williams and Kenyatta Walker]. They started for four and five years before leaving due to weight and injuries. The rest are all still starting in the NFL.

by NorthLeft12 on May 7, 2009 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am not really sure of..

what your point is with this. What I was trying to say is. That a team has it’s own philosophical beliefs. Some teams feel they need to use high draft picks. Some feel they can put together their line with second day picks. You keep trying to make the point of 1st rounders vs. 7th rounders. That was never my original thought. There were only eight 7th round starters last year. My point is that there were 30 UNDRAFTED starters to 31 first round picks that started. You can dig up all the past drafts you want. But that does not debunk my argument

by JCruize on May 7, 2009 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My point is if you want to reliably develop a starter you draft early

If you are patient, have good coaching, and can afford to watch guys fail pretty regularly [over 75% I would say] then draft late and hope for the best.
The third option is to get other teams free agents. One of the undrafted free agents on the Giants [Shaun O’Hara] was a free agent signing from Cleveland. The third round choice on the Giant’s line[Kareem McKenzie] came from the Jets.

NFL scouts actually do a pretty good job of assessing talent. To propose that you can take guys that everyone else passed over multiple times and make them into better, or even as good as, NFL linemen than guys picked earlier is not supported by the facts.

by NorthLeft12 on May 8, 2009 6:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gotta agree

Just like virtually every position, the higher the round, the better chance that they pan out. It Doesn’t mean that being a 1st rounder means a guaranteed pro-bowler, or that you shouldn’t take your chances on a 6th or 7th rounder. The draft is full of guys who defied the scouting process and by sheer determination or hidden talent, have made an NFL career. Personally, I hope Murtha is one of those guys.

I also happen to think that Offensive Lineman may be easier to find a hidden gem of than, say, a QB or a RB. A lot of being a lineman can be coached, especially if you already have the size and strength. Also, if you already have great technique, you can always get stronger. I think Murtha has the athleticism to be a good pass protector, he just needs to get stronger and build his technique.

2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).

by Hyperion Ecta on May 8, 2009 7:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree HE

I have to admit that I am no expert on O Line play, but there is a lot of teamwork involved in that small unit. I think the intelligence of these guys is way underrated. Some players just need better coaching and better conditioning to tap their potential.

Hopefully we now have that coaching.

by NorthLeft12 on May 8, 2009 7:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What I am saying

That some team insteed of using high picks for O-Linemen. They use those picks for other needs. ANd some teams like the idea of having high profile picks on their line. Teams did not need to have “Pro-Bowl” O-Linemen to have success. The Jets had four 1st rounders. Two of them were Pro Bowlers this past season. Did not make the playoffs. The Steelers had 2 6th rounders, undrafted, a 4th, and a 3rd. You seem fixated on the idea a individual awards make for the better offensive line. All my point is that there is no magic blueprint. And just because you have a big time, high draft pick on your roster. Does not mean that your team is better.

by JCruize on May 8, 2009 12:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Steelers O Line is worse than Detroit's

They gave up 49 sacks and their RBs averaged 3.7 yards per carry. That is with the same QB all year, and higher quality running backs than Detroit. Detroit gave up 52 sacks and 3.8 yards per carry.

They won the Super Bowl in spite of those guys.

by NorthLeft12 on May 8, 2009 5:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

and that is my point....

Steelers chose the address other needs than the O-Line. And the year before with the Giants.

by JCruize on May 9, 2009 2:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jason Peters, Jeff Saturday, Kris Deilman, Shaun O’Hara, Brian Waters

All undrafted and all Pro Bowl talent. Find a lineman witht he physical tools is harder then coaching one up. The lion’s already have half the battle won with Murtha, hell of a pick.

I am offically on the Murtha bandwagon, count me among the few.

by SaginawGuy on May 7, 2009 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

SG does that mean you should not bother drafting?

Do you not agree that the players picked earlier in the draft are generally more talented and more successful in the NFL than those not picked or picked later?

I would never argue that undrafted players can’t play in the NFL. Far from it. But when you look at them as groups it is pretty clear that NFL success is more likely the earlier you are drafted. Try looking at the last ten years or so and make a lineup with players only selected in a certain round. I’m pretty sure the first round team will probably be better and deeper and the seventh round team will be weaker and not as deep.

by NorthLeft12 on May 7, 2009 9:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That doesn't seem statistically accurate...

Yes those are all wonderful undrafted offensive lineman, but they are certainly more the exception than the rule. The draft is a crapshoot (I think everyone would agree), but statistically the earlier rounds provide more “hits” than the later rounds. For every Tom Brady and Kurt Warner, there are about 4 or 5 Peyton Mannings, Carson Palmers, Phillip Rivers, Jay Cutlers, etc.. That’s not to say that there aren’t misses in the early rounds, but if didn’t improve your odds you wouldn’t find teams scrambling all over eachother to move up year after year. The bottom line is, once you’re an established team (meaning you have legitimate players at every critical position on the field) you can afford to take chances on drafting and “coaching up” your middle and late round picks into backups, starters, or even stars. If you NEED players though, you generally have a much better chance of getting players that can help you in those earlier rounds. This pick is so late in the draft it certainly can’t HURT the Lions in any way, and yes if there is a chance that it will eventually help them then great. I for one think Murtha has a 50/50 chance of even being on the team when the season starts, only because there has got to be a reason that such an athletically gifted player would fall to the 7th round. If you want to put him in the Pro Bowl, then by all means I hope you’re right.

by Mushy on May 8, 2009 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks Mushy, You put it better than I have I think

If you really believed there was no difference between players drafted early and later, you would either trade away all your early picks [even at a big discount] or just not participate in the draft at all.

Ridiculous? Of course it is! But I am seeing this opinion around here more than a few times.

by NorthLeft12 on May 8, 2009 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That first video...

he didn’t look all that impressive. His technique definitely needs work

Check out nickandroll.blogspot.com

by n1ck34 on May 7, 2009 12:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Good pick

For the 7th round. If we can coach him up we could make him better. I’m glad we were able to get him in the 7th rather than waste a higher pick.

by ZWC11 on May 7, 2009 4:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Talk about your ultimate flyer...

Realistically they could have picked a kicker in the 7th round and I wouldn’t have been upset. The probability of finding a “gem” this late in the draft is so small that it just doesn’t make that much of a difference. The knock on this kid is that he’s a “workout warrior”. He certainly appears to have the physical tools/abilities to be a solid (if not dominant) tackle, but when there is a mental block that keeps them from translating their skills to a game it usually doesn’t bode well for the end result. At the very least, it looks like he can provide depth if he stays healthy so I can’t knock the one offensive lineman they managed to pick in this year’s draft.

by Mushy on May 8, 2009 11:05 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs