BIG RAPIDS – Ferris State University senior defensive end Caleb Murphy (Dowagiac), who helped lead the Bulldogs to their second consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship this past fall, has been invited to the 2023 National Football League (NFL) Combine, becoming only the third player in school history to receive an official invitation.
Murphy was among 316 participants selected to showcase their skills in front of NFL executives at the league’s annual scouting combine set for Feb. 28 to March 6 in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium. According to archived records, he becomes only the third Bulldog standout ever to earn an invite, joining offensive tackle and 1991 invitee Paul Cochran along with offensive tackle Devon Johnson, who earned an invitation in 2019.
Top executives, coaching staffs, player personnel departments and medical personnel from all 32 NFL teams will be on hand to evaluate the nation’s top college football players eligible for the upcoming NFL draft. The intense, multi-day job interview is an opportunity for athletes to display their skills and take the next vital step in achieving their dreams of playing in the NFL.
The NFL Scouting Combine has been held annually since 1982 when it began in Tampa, Fla. It has been held in Indianapolis since 1987. Murphy is one of only three NCAA Division II players this year to receive an invitation. Additionally, Ferris State was the only non-Division I school from the state of Michigan or the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) to have an invitee.
Live coverage of the on-field workouts for defensive linemen is set for Thursday, March 2, on the NFL Network.
Murphy claimed every major defensive player award possible this year, including the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award, the Ted Hendricks Award presented to the nation’s top defensive end, the Division II National Defensive Player of the Year honor in addition to the Cliff Harris Award as the nation’s top small college defensive player.
Murphy demolished the NCAA all-divisions record for single-season sacks, recording 25.5, and led all divisions with 39 tackles for loss, which matched the all-time single-season record for any NCAA level. Nearly half of Murphy’s tackles this season were for negative yards. He and his Ferris State teammates dominated opponents on their way to their second consecutive Division II championship. The Bulldog defense shut down the Colorado School of Mines, the division’s top scoring offense, in the Division II championship game.
Murphy played the past two seasons on the field for the Bulldogs and recorded 40 sacks, 60.5 tackles for loss (353 yards), 156 total tackles and eight forced fumbles. His teams went 9-0 in the NCAA Division II playoffs. Murphy’ was also named a finalist for the Harlon Hill Award (D-II Player of the Year) and was the GLIAC Player of the Year. He also represented Ferris State at the East-West Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas last week, recording a sack in the contest.
Murphy led the Bulldogs to the 2022 NCAA Division II National Championship in McKinney, Texas, as FSU topped the Colorado School of Mines 41-14 in the title game to finish with a 14-1 overall record. Over his final two seasons, the Bulldogs posted a 28-1 mark en route to back-to-back national championships.
The NFL Draft takes place April 27-29 in Kansas City with live coverage across the country.