Another Undrafted Rookie Linebacker is Turning Heads at Vikings Training Camp

In 2023, undrafted rookie inside linebacker Ivan Pace Jr was a pretty immediate stood out at Minnesota Vikings offseason workouts, then eventually at training camp. By the time regular season games were being played, he was already forcing himself into the regular defensive gameplan.

Throw in an injury or two and, before you he knew it, Pace wasn’t just starting, he was wearing the green dot (calling plays for the defense). No chance general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and defensive coordinator Brian Flores could find another undrafted stud in 2024, right? Not to that degree, at least…?

Meet Minnesota Vikings 2024 undrafted rookie, Gabriel Murphy, an outside linebacker out of UCLA, who played his first three collegiate seasons at North Texas. Two weeks into training camp, everyone is talking about Murphy.

Vikings undrafted rookie OLB Gabriel Murphy just had a sack and a tipped ball at the line to end a situational 1-min drill as a win for the second-team defense. He’s having a strong camp

— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) August 2, 2024

In 2023, he finished with 8 sacks and 16 tackles for loss. Some had Murphy pegged as a day two pick, but somehow, the 6’2″ 250 lb 23-year-old fell all the way out of day three, where the Vikings were able to gobble him up.

Undrafted rookie Gabriel Murphy grabbing attention at Minnesota Vikings training camp

No training camp in recent memory has had Minnesota Vikings fans and media members more hyped up than what we are seeing in 2024. That makes sense, given the changeover at quarterback, and what appears to be a legitimate QB battle between rookie JJ McCarthy and pending draft bust Sam Darnold.

But through all of that preseason smoke… it’s Murphy who is grabbing the attention of both media members and those inside the organization. Here’s the Mackey & Judd Show talking about Gabriel Murphy, after all three personalities (Phil Mackey, Darren Wolfson) attended practice recently.

"A lot of people in Eagan are excited about Gabriel Murphy" 👀 pic.twitter.com/0WI1OD8GCB

— SKOR North – Minnesota Sports (@SKORNorth) August 1, 2024

Mackey: “Gabriel Murphy also continues to flash and be used at times with the first team defense, EDGE rusher, undrafted free agent.”

Wolfson: “How was he not drafted. I can tell you, privately, there’s a lot of positivity about Murphy. There really is. Even before the last week-plus. Going back to rookie minicamp, OTAs, minicamp. A lot of people in Eagan are excited about Gabriel Murphy. I don’t know how he wasn’t a 4th round pick or 5th round pick. That one is odd to me.

But yes, he has continued to impress. When you think about this time last year, Ivan Pace Jr making all these plays, it looks like Ivan has a bright future. I’m starting to think we can start having those conversations about Gabriel Murphy.”

Mackey & Judd Show – SKOR North

Gabriel Murphy, after he was passed on 257 times in the 2024 NFL Draft chose to sign with Minnesota, over a plethora of other offers. And now, he’s standing out at a training camp that features fellow outside linebacker Dallas Turner, who the Vikings drafted with the No. 17 overall pick back in April.

#UCLA EDGE Gabriel Murphy really popped opposite of Laiatu Latu Saturday against Washington State. Lightning quick first step allows him to get hip to hip with tackles in a hurry.

Has 7 TFLs (2 sacks) this season, already surpassing his 2022 production. pic.twitter.com/zVT0rYkmkN

— Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) October 9, 2023

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell weighs in

And it isn’t just the SKOR North guys who are seeing and hearing about Murphy’s impressive play at camp. This week, head coach Kevin O’Connell talked about Murphy: “he’s showing up, time and time again, early on here, as a guy who is versatile in the [pass] rush game.”

Related: Vikings Still High on NFL Longshot Levi Drake Rodriguez

As was the case with Ivan Pace Jr, size played a major factor in Murphy going undrafted. Still, as you can tell by Wolfson’s reaction, it was a surprise. Gabriel ranked as the No. 111 overall prospect on Arif Hasan’s consensus board.

I mean, plucking a defensive rookie of the year candidate out of the undrafted free agency pool is a once in a decade thing, even for a really good GM. But… never say never.

If you can play, Brian Flores will find you snaps

One thing we know for sure, if you can help defensive coordinator Brian Flores stop opposing offenses, he will find a role for you. Josh Metellus, for example, has been extremely effective as a hybrid safety/linebacker. We also know Flores is experimenting with pass rush packages that do not include any defensive linemen.

So no matter who is ahead of him on the depth chart — whether it be Greenard, Van Ginkel, Turner or someone else — Gabriel Murphy looks like a real threat to their playing time. And if he continues to earn the trust of Flores, he’ll be on the field.

Related: John Parker Romo Not Happy About His Early Exit from Vikings Camp

We want the Minnesota Vikings to stay healthier than they did last season. Hopefully, they won’t have to rely on an undrafted rookie as heavily as they did Pace, in 2023. Nonetheless, this is a very interesting development. Kwesi needs this draft class (including UDFAs) to be productive. These reports on Murphy are a positive early sign.