SOMEWHERE OVER THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS EN ROUTE TO NEW ORLEANS — If you pulled up ESPN.com’s homepage on Thursday night, you were likely greeted with a photo-shopped array of Kyler Murray pictures in a handful of different NFL jerseys to tease their latest mock draft.
Google his name and, even before his expanding Wikipedia page, are pieces dissecting his height (from SI), others projecting him to about a half dozen teams, and others breaking down the gambling odds on where he’ll land. If it wasn’t already apparent, an NFL draft that was heavy on defensive talent (read: a draft missing that signature marketing draw that the league seems to uncover every year around this time) may have found the centerpiece of its televised stage show.