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Kyle Murphy is one of the top offensive tackles in the country. With a visit to USC this weekend, the Trojans have a chance to change his mind on the prohibitive favorite, the Stanford Cardinal.
When Kyle Murphy took his visit to USC on January 18th, the Trojans knew they had a lot of ground to make up. The massive offensive tackle recruit had visited Stanford at least four times during his last two seasons, and the Cardinal were thought to be an absolute lock.
Yahoo! West Coast recruiting analyst Adam Gorney believes that Murphy might not be all sewn up to Stanford:
From what I hear, #USC is definitely in contention for five-star OT Kyle Murphy. Not a #Stanford lock as some suspect.
Murphy told Greg Biggins that both schools have advantages. While not slighting USC's academics, he gave the nod to Stanford in the Classroom. Murphy believes USC has better tradition, and that both offer early playing time.
It's that expectation of early playing time, no matter how unrealistic, that has been important to Murphy throughout his recruitment. Whichever coach can downplay Murphy's need to get a lot bigger and stronger, perhaps via redshirt year, and present a compelling case for why Murphy is likely to play a lot as a freshman, is likely to gain his signature.
Murphy decides on National Signing Day (February 1).
For more on Stanford recruiting, visit Rule Of Tree. For more on USC recruiting, visit Conquest Chronicles.
According to Whitney Blaine, offensive tackle recruit Kyle Murphy is set to host coaches from Stanford for an in-home visit tonight. Murphy has long been thought to be a lean to the Cardinal, but a recent visit to USC has some people believing he may end up a Trojan.
The battle for the commitment of offensive tackle recruit Kyle Murphy has been intense of late. Rivals even prematurely reported that Murphy had committed to Stanford. He didn't, but Stanford is seen here as the prohibitive favorite.
But with a visit to USC this weekend, the Trojans will have a shot to change the 6'7", 275-pound tackle's mind. And the Trojans will need to do a lot of work, as Murphy is very high on the Cardinal, having just visited The Farm last weekend, marking his fourth visit to Stanford.
Everyone knows what USC, now out from under the bowl ban, can offer a player. But what, aside from the tradition and NFL pedigree, can USC offer Murphy specifically? Playing time. USC left tackle Matt Kalil declared early for the NFL draft. USC does not have great depth on the lines, and while it might be a stretch to believe that Murphy can come in and start for a team expecting to content for a national title, that doesn't really matter in recruiting. All that matters is that Lane Kiffin can pull out a depth chart that shows a blank at the tackle position. From there, Kiffin has to hope that Murphy believes he can win the job as a freshman.
Of course, Stanford can give him the same pitch, as the Cardinal is losing its left tackle as well.
For more on Pac-12 recruiting, check out Pacific Takes.
Update: There are now conflicting reports on Murphy's status. ESPN's Greg Biggins tweeted that he texted with Murphy about a supposed commitment to Stanford:
Regarding if he has committed to #Stanford, Kyle Murphy responded via text, 'haha, no way, nowhere yet'Do I think OL Kyle Murphy ends up at #Stanford? Most definitely. Do I think maybe he told someone but didnt want it out yet? Thats probable
Scout writer Brandon Huffman joins in, tweeting:
Also just got a text from San Clemente (Calif.) OT Kyle Murphy and he confirmed that he has NOT committed to Stanford...
It appears the Cardinal Report jumped the gun, tweeting:
May have reported the Murphy commitment in error, trying to confirm. Apologize for the error.
Original Story: Kyle Murphy, one of the top offensive tackle prospects in the country has committed to the Stanford Cardinal, according to the Cardinal Report. Murphy stars for San Clemente (Calif.) High School. Murphy held offers from most every school in the country, and heavily considered USC, Florida and Oregon.
At 6'7" and 275 pounds, Murphy has a great frame with long arms to which he can add size. He also plays with a nasty demeanor, and clearly shows the athleticism to master proper technique. ESPN, 247 Sports, Scout and Rivals all assigned a rating of four or five stars to Murphy, and he was selected to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
With his current lack of bulk, it's unlikely that Murphy will start in his first season, but he probably could for some lesser teams. In time, he should be a multi-year starter. He's a smart kid with a strong focus on academics, carrying a 3.9 GPA. Murphy is an excellent pickup for the Cardinal.
For more on Stanford recruiting, head to Rule Of Tree.
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Kyle Murphy Commits To Stanford Over USC
Kyle Murphy, a top offensive tackle recruit, has committed to Stanford over USC, announcing the news on television on National Signing Day 2012. Murphy, who played for San Clemente (Calif.) High School, chose Stanford over USC, the other main finalist other finalists for his services.
Murphy is a 6'6", 280 pound offensive tackle with excellent feet. He is rated five stars by most recruiting services, and is a fantastic prospect.
Murphy had made multiple trips to Stanford during the recruiting season, but some believed Murphy would choose the Trojans because San Clemente High has significant ties to USC. The decision was a struggle for Murphy.
Murphy was the third highest offensive in the consensus rankings, trailing D.J. Humphries and Andrus Peat. He joins a Stanford squad with several other blue-chip offensive linemen.
Looking for National Signing Day coverage of other teams or recruits? Head to SB Nation College Football Recruiting.
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For more on [PLAYER NAME] and [SCHOOL NAME] Football recruiting, visit [TEAM BLOG] and (if applicable) REGIONAL NAME. Click the link for more on National Signing Day 2012.
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Feb 01 4:47p by Bud Elliott - 0 comments