The Minnesota Vikings saw the return on Ivan Pace Jr. last season and doubled down on their investment in rookie free agency, signing edge rusher Gabriel Murphy out of UCLA on April 29.
Like Pace, Murphy went undrafted in the draft despite being a top-150 prospect. However, the Vikings are convinced Murphy can become a contributor in Minnesota, signing him to a three-year, $2.8 million deal, according to Spotrac.
Fellow Vikings edge rusher Andre Carter II and Pace were graded as the top undrafted free agency (UDFA) signings after the 2023 draft and both garnered similar three-year deals worth $2.7 million. Carter received $340,000 in guarantees — the most of UDFA in league history.
Murphy’s guarantees have not been reported, but considering CBS Sports graded him the top UDFA signing this offseason, he’s sure to have received a lucrative deal from the Vikings, who exceeded Pace and Carter’s contracts when signing Murphy.
UCLA Edge Gabriel Murphy Was a Top-10 in Pressures Last Season
GettyUCLA Bruins pass rusher Gabriel Murphy (left)
Much like Pace, Murphy went undrafted due to his size.
Murphy was productive in his final year at UCLA, posting the seventh-most pressures (61) in college football — just one pressure short of his teammate Laiatu Latu, who went No. 15 overall to the Indianapolis Colts.
CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso is confident that Murphy’s college production can translate for the Vikings after seeing what Brian Flores got out of Pace in his rookie year.
“Murphy can be the Pace of the 2023 UDFA class for the Vikings, and the similarities between the two are striking. Lack of prototypical size and length was probably the reason Murphy went undrafted — Pace knows how that feels — but, like Pace, Murphy was outstandingly productive in college, and, actually where they differ is Murphy tested like a premier athlete for his respective position. He ran 4.68 in the 40 with a 39.5-inch vertical and 10-3 broad. While the 4.68 time isn’t spectacular the vertical and broad are both higher than the 80th percentile at the edge-rusher spot,” Trapasso wrote.
“Lastly, in 2023 with the Bruins, the slippery, hand-work magician registered 61 pressures on a mere 355 pass-rushing snaps (17.1% pressure-creation rate). He knows how to work past his length limitations, and frankly, he’s not incredibly small at over 6-2 and 247 pounds. Yes, Minnesota traded up for the highly decorated and athletic Dallas Turner at No. 17. And they signed Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard in free agency. BUT, if any defensive coordinator will know how to deploy him, it’s Brian Flores.”
Vikings Earn Top Grade in Rookie Free Agency for 2nd Straight Year
GettyIvan Pace Jr. #40 of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings are becoming trailblazers with their bets in rookie free agency.
According to Wide Left’s Arif Hasan, the Vikings led the league for a second consecutive year in UDFA value. Murphy and ninth-ranked UDFA Dwight McGlothern, a cornerback from Arkansas, highlight their haul.
They were the consensus 111th and 189th-ranked players; making the Vikings the only team to land two Top 200 players.
The Vikings added a Top 300 signing in Trey Knox, a tight end from South Carolina, who ranked 294th on the consensus board.
Not every player from the Vikings’ 17-man UDFA class will even make training camp, let alone the 53-man roster.
But the trio of Murphy, McGlothern and Knox have a good shot and are likely candidates for the practice squad.
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