From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Buffalo ILB Red Murdock.
No. 2 Red Murdock/ILB Buffalo: 6-1, 240 pounds (Grad Student)
MEASUREMENTS
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Red Murdock 6-1/240 N/A N/A N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A N/A N/A
THE GOOD
– Good size and frame with bulk
– Incredible production and always around the football
– Physical defender and players feel his hits
– Chases the ball hard with great sideline-to-sideline effort
– Plays inside out and doesn’t overrun the play
– Record amount of forced fumbles and knack/focus on punching the ball out
– Great effort and never takes plays off
– Downhill mentality and seeks contact against blockers and runners
– Physical: able to separate the player from the ball in coverage
– Reroutes receivers in coverage and maintains physicality
– Effective blitzer with power on his bull
The Bad
– Limited foot speed and overall athleticism
– Tight-hipped and struggles to break down and change direction
– Prone to getting glued to blocks
– His feet too often go dead while reading the play, putting him out of position, and he’s late to his lane
– Vulnerable to falling off tackles, chasing the ball on the perimeter
– Will struggle in man coverage and be best in zone
– Can take cheese and bite on play-action
– May not have everydown role at next level
Stats
– Career: 364 tackles (39.5 TFL), 17 FFs, 9 sacks, 1 INT across 42 games (31 starts)
– 2025: 142 tackles (13.5 TFL), 6 FFs, 5 sacks
– Holds NCAA career record for forced fumbles, breaking Khalil Mack’s previous mark of 16 (mark officially recognized beginning in 2005)
– Led MAC in tackles for 2025, finished third in the NCAA
– 2,196 career defensive snaps, including 837 in 2025
– 339 career special teams snaps (152 during 2024 season across four units)
– PFF’s No. 2 defensive grade among LBs in 2025 behind Jacob Rodriguez (No. 2 run defense, No. 31 tackling, No. 7 coverage)
– 9.4 percent missed tackle rate in 2025 (58th of 237 qualifiers)
Injury History
– 2019: had surgery on torn labrum in left hip after junior season, missing first nine games before returning to final five to lead HS team to state title
– 2022: sprained MCL against Bowling Green
– 2024: played through a severe case of strep throat and posted 19 tackles, 1 FF in a win over Ball State
Bio
– Turns 23 in September, 2026
– Zero-star recruit from Petersburg, Virginia
– Began college career at Fork Union Military Academy before transferring to Buffalo for the 2022 season; chose the Bulls over William & Mary, Richmond, Navy, and UMass
– First-team All-MAC in 2024 and 2025; second-team AP All-American in 2025
– High school teammates with Patriots RB TreVeyon Henderson
– Light recruit due to 2019 injury and 2020 pandemic
– Middle child of five other siblings, raised by his mother
– Plans to become a counselor or sports psychologist after career
– Second in family to graduate high school, first to attend college
– First name is “Khalil”
– Watches lots of Luke Kuechly film for his football IQ and anticipation
– 2026 Shrine Bowl participant
Tape Breakdown
Khalil “Red” Murdock took a longer route to the FBS level but became one of college football’s most productive linebackers. With 17 forced fumbles, he also etched himself into the NCAA record books. A relentless playmaker, Murdock is physical and in-your-face, never taking plays off. At least two of his forced fumbles came late in the half when everyone else was thinking about intermission.
Though he lacks high-end athleticism, his presence as a hitter makes him effective in zone coverage. He can separate the player from the ball or at least make receivers earn their receptions.
He’s aggressive and fearless as a blitzer, powering through the running back on his way to the quarterback here.
But Murdock isn’t fleet of foot. Sometimes, that’s an overrated trait for linebackers, but his slow change of direction is a real problem. Watch him struggle to mirror the quarterback on this read option, allowing him to turn upfield for a long touchdown. Murdock had contain, but he has to be able to double back and make this play. At the NFL, he’ll face quarterbacks more athletic than those Akron provides.
While he plays inside-out and reads each play, his feet can go dead and freeze. That won’t work in the NFL and will only be compounded by a lack of foot speed.
Conclusion
Overall, Red Murdock is a highly productive and intense linebacker. Though from a smaller school, he’s coming from a program that’s produced NFL linebacker talent like Khalil Mack, Shaun Dolac, and Joe Andreessen. Murdock’s lack of athleticism poses a risk, but he’s an all-out player with top-end physicality for the position. A hard guy to count out, though the investment in him must be relatively modest.
With an old-school D’Qwell Jackson feel, my more modern NFL comp is Josey Jewell. Given his makeup, Murdock could also profile well on special teams.
NFL Projection: Late Day Three
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 7.6 ST (Spot Starter)
Grade Range: 6.9-8.3
Games Watched: at Minnesota (2025), vs Akron (2025), at Bowling Green (2025)
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