The 2026 NFL Draft is just over one month away. Mock draft season is well underway as analysts begin pairing prospects with teams following the NFL Scouting Combine. One special teams prospect may have raised his draft stock after an impressive pro day performance.
UTSA kicker Jaffer Murphy has scouts buzzing after putting on a show at the school's recent pro day. Murphy showed off his big leg, going 12-of-13 on field goal attempts on Thursday. His longest make was from a whopping 70 yards away. That is two yards further than Cam Little's NFL record 68-yard field goal, which smashed the league's existing record back in November.
But Murphy brings even more to the table than just his kicking prowess.
Murphy ran the 40-yard dash and was clocked with a time of 4.5 seconds. That is a shocking amount of speed for a kicker, especially when compared to current NFL players. Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb and Vikings running back Aaron Jones both ran a 4.5-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine before their rookie seasons.
When looking at the 2026 draft class, Murphy's 40 time is in line players like edge rusher David Bailey.
Murphy's speed is not simply a gimmick either. The NFL's new kickoff rules make it more important than ever for kickers to be at least passable on special teams. Otherwise, the kicking team has a disadvantage on all kick returns.
It is reasonable to assume that NFL teams may covet Murphy's speed on top of his kicking skills. He is a truly special prospect at the kicker position.
But where Murphy will land in the draft is anyone's guess. After all, Jake Moody was the 99th overall pick back in 2023.
It will be fascinating to see what happens with Murphy after his exciting pro day.
