RIDERS ADD RUNNING BACK, RETURN SPECIALIST MARCUS MURPHY
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed American running back Marcus Murphy.
Murphy (5’8-195lbs) was selected in the seventh round, 230th overall, of the 2015 NFL Draft. Over four seasons, Murphy played in 28 games with the Saints and the Buffalo Bills earning 291 yards on 60 rushing attempts (4.9-yard average) and added 36 yards receiving. The 29-year-old was also a key contributor on special teams where he handled punt and kick return duties, making 33 kick returns for a total 747 yards (22.6-yard average) and 36 punt returns for 333 yards (9.3-yard average) and one touchdown. He also spent a portion of 2019 and 2020 with the Carolina Panthers.
Murphy played four collegiate seasons at the University of Missouri, where he was highly regarded and awarded for his skills on special teams. As a senior, he was the 2014 SEC Special Teams Player of the Year, named to the All-SEC First Team (all-purpose and kick returner) and a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award which honours the nation’s most versatile player. Murphy led the SEC with 1,714 all-purpose yards and was the only player in the FBS that season to score via kick return, punt return, rushing and receiving. He finished his senior year with 767 rushing yards, 196 receiving yards, 273 punt return yards, 478 kick return yards and eight total touchdowns.
Over his four seasons, he played 52 career games as a Tiger earning 1,957 yards rushing (5.8-yard average), 318 yards receiving, 2,036 kick return yards (23.4-yard average), 801 punt return yards (10.4-yard average) and 25 total touchdowns.
